


Remember Sunday

by youretheone



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-10
Updated: 2014-08-09
Packaged: 2018-02-04 03:33:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1764231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youretheone/pseuds/youretheone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Struggling to keep his life together with money and a stressful life trying to juggle school and work, Mike thinks he's found love in the handsome Harvey Specter. The only problem is that Harvey suffers from short term memory loss, and forgets the previous day each time he falls asleep at night.<br/>Despite this, he keeps falling in love with Mike over and over again, despite not being able to remember him and not wanting to tell Mike about his condition. </p><p>Based on the movie with the same title.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Remember The Day

**Author's Note:**

> I am having way too much fun with these Marvey/Movie fics.

Harvey awoke abruptly to the sound of the radio on his alarm clock «Good morning, everyone! It is a beautiful day here in Boston!»

Wait, had he just said Boston?

Harvey slowly opened his eyes, his vision was a little blurry at first, but it soon evened out. He sat up in bed and stretched, only to realize he wasn’t in his own bed. Or his own apartment. Looking around, he first checked the other side of the bed. It was empty, and it didn’t look like anyone else had slept there. He then tapped the alarm clock to make it shut up, before seeing the poster sticker on it “You are in Boston, read your file” it said.

Harvey furrowed his eyebrows as he noticed the thick file on his nightstand.

_Read me every morning_

Harvey picked it up and opened it, trying to figure out what was going on.

 _Hey big brother! You’re in for quite the surprise!_ Marcus had written what looked like an essay about him, apparently, he’d acquired a brain injury a few years back, causing him to lose his short term memory. He could remember everything before the accident, but each day since then he would wake up and not remember anything after that, not even the previous day.

Harvey panicked a little, as he looked around the apartment. It was small and a little messy. The walls were filled with post-it notes that had little messages to himself written on them. Why was he in Boston though? What about his apartment? His nice and big apartment with imported Italian furniture? What about work?

Oh god. Harvey started flipping through the pages in the file, trying to find an answer. He’d moved back to Boston after the accident so Marcus could keep an eye on him. He was writing legal books? What the hell was this? He was attorney god damn it, not a writer.

Harvey pinched himself in the thigh to make sure he wasn’t having a nightmare, then he looked up to see the post-it plastered on his mirror.

_Breakfast with Donna_

What was Donna doing in Boston? He went over to his computer, to check his to-do’s for the day, like the message from Marcus in his file had told him to.

_Jog, get water bottle, smile at strangers, breakfast with Donna at 8.00 (check your file for address to café)_

Okay, so he was definitely having breakfast with Donna. That was what he knew about his life. So he should just go with the flow right? That was what any sane person would do? Except he didn’t feel very sane now, but the knowledge of knowing he’d see Donna soon made him feel slightly better.

He went into his closet and found some clothes he could jog in, trying not to cry over the fact that he could barely find half of his suits in there. He then grabbed the recording pen left on his desk, that was part of his system according to Marcus. Recording everything on his pen, then putting it into his computer for his notes at the end of the day.

Harvey had to hand it to his little brother, the system was pretty good.

While jogging he realized why he had written smile at strangers on his to-do list, since a lot of people waved at him, saying stuff like ‘good morning’ or ‘good to see you’, even though Harvey could not for the life of him recognize any of their faces. He then found his pen and hit record, telling himself that he had a mild headache, that it was a sunny day and that he was meeting Donna at eight. God, was this his life? He tried not to panic again.

**

_Come on, Mike. Answer the phone. I know you’re there. I am so sorry._

“Don’t you dare answer that!” Trevor said from around the corner as Mike reached for the phone.

“He said he was sorry.” Mike said and Trevor scowled at him.

“Don’t they all?” He asked, patting him on the back “Shouldn’t you be getting to work?”

Mike looked down at his watch, oh shoot.

“I’ll see you tonight!”

“Yeah, sure thing!” Trevor said on a laugh as Mike grabbed his messenger bag and bike-helmet before running out the door.

Mike knew he was running late. Again. God, how could he not have more control over his life? When he finally arrived at the café, he could see his boss scowling at him. Mike jumped off his bike and held up his hands in defeat.

“I’m sorry.” He said. Jenny rested her hand on her hip and raised her eyebrows.

“Don’t give me that look.” Mike said pleadingly “I’ll work a double-shift next week, I don’t have any class on Thursday”

“You’re in law school.” Jenny said “You should know I could fire you for being late.”

“I know.” Mike said as he rushed through the doors of the café, Jenny on his heels “No excuse this time, just an apology.”

“Fine.” Jenny said “Just go and get your apron.”

Mike should be more grateful for this job and he knew it. He needed the money. Desperately.

He tried keeping that in mind as he was trying to scrape some gum out from underneath a table. Damn kids. Jenny pointed at a man sitting by a table, drinking a cup of coffee. Mike smelled and waved with his pen, telling her he got it.

“Good morning.” Mike said as he went over to him. “You ready to order?"

“Hello.” Harvey said as he looked up to see Mike standing there. He sat down the cup he was drinking from and looked the kid up and down, wondering if they had met before. The guy was blonde, his hair all ruffled. He was wearing a simple black t-shirt, jeans and a black apron around his waist. Definitely handsome. Not what Harvey usually had gone for in the past, though. This kid was a little more roguish looking.

“Oh.” Harvey said as his phone rang, snapping him out of his trance. He started searching his pockets.

“Maybe in your bag?” Mike suggested and Harvey offered him a quick ‘thanks’, as he searched his bag and found it just as the call ended. “Missed it.” Harvey said.

Mike studied him for a second, if he didn’t know any better he’d say the guy looked kind of familiar? Maybe he’d been by before. Even though Mike was pretty sure he’d remember. “So what will you have?” Mike asked with a smile, the guy looked nice, but a little lost maybe.

Mike could relate.

“Oh, right.” Harvey said and picked up the menu again.

“You need a minute?” Mike asked and Harvey nodded.

“Yeah, thanks…” Harvey said and looked to Mike’s name-tag “Mike.”

“What?” Mike asked and then looked down to realize Harvey had just read his tag “Oh, right.” He said, feeling a little dumb as he patted his head with his pen and went to buss some more tables.

Harvey took a breath and clicked his pen-recorder again as he took another sip of coffee. “Still waiting on Donna, having my third cup of coffee here at… Jenny’s, it’s good, make a note to come back.” Mike smiled at him from where he was cleaning up.

The man was kind of weird, and it was hard describing him. He looked intelligent, focused, but also out of balance. Definitely cute. Jenny then shouted out a name “Harvey, is there a Harvey in here?” She asked and Harvey turned around.

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“You’ve got a phone call.”

“Oh, thanks.” So his name was Harvey? Mike liked that name. It was strong. The phone call had been from Donna, telling him she was worried when he hadn’t picked up, and that she was running late. While Harvey was in the back, talking on the phone.

Mike went over to his table to re-fill his coffee cup. He could not help himself from looking at his things. Legal books. Mike had read some of these for school, and some for research because he was bored. He then suddenly recognized one of the books about legal contracts, and just had to pick it up. Yes, right there on the back was a picture of Harvey. Harvey Reginald Specter. Mike had to chuckle at his name, sounded like the name of a prick really. He didn’t seem like a prick though. Mike remembered reading that book last summer, it was one of the better ones he’d endured on his spare time.

He then looked at Harvey’s phone, smiling again when he saw that he had ‘smile at strangers’ on his to-do list. No, definitely not a prick. Mike looked at the pen then, trying to pick up the courage to do something spontaneous.

As Harvey was packing up his stuff, Mike went over to him with his change “Here you go, sir.”

“Thanks, but that’s for you.” Harvey said.

“Thank you.” Mike said and put the money in the pocket of his apron “How was everything?”

“It was great.” Harvey said “When I was in school here I couldn’t find decent scrambled eggs anywhere.”

“Yeah.” Mike said on a laugh as Harvey gave him a nod, as he got his bag and was about to leave when Mike shouted after him.

“It’s unsalted!”

“What?” Harvey asked as he turned around.

“The scrambled eggs? We cook it in unsalted butter, a huge chunk of it.” Mike said “It was kind of my recipe, not that’s it’s much of recipe, but still-“

Harvey couldn’t help but smile then. “Okay!”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

Harvey gave him a quick wave. Huh, he really hoped that he’d follow his own note and go back to that place. According to his schedule, he had a meeting with his publisher, who didn’t know about his condition. He didn’t even know what she looked like.

“Hello, Harvey.” A woman with long blonde hair and bright eyes said as he entered her office.

“Hey, Katrina.” Harvey answered, letting out a sigh of relief when he noticed she smiled at him instead of correcting him. “You wanted to see me today?”

She was young, not what Harvey was expecting at all. Harvey couldn’t really imagine himself hiring her, but then he remembered that, according to his file, she had been recommended by Louis Litt. He wondered what Louis was doing these days? Did he ever get that senior partner position he wanted? Harvey shook his head, not wanting his thoughts to there.

“Yes, I was just going over your newest edition.” Katrina said and looked down at some papers in her hand. “Why didn’t you include the Johnson versus GFN case from last years as an example here?” She asked and handed him a piece of paper. Harvey quickly looked it over, recognizing his own words there, not writing them of course, but he could actually see that this was in fact, his own work.

He probably had forgot to write the case down as it was happening and then forgotten all about it. There must have been so much he’d missed on the legal front if he didn’t research every single day, and made little post-it notes of all of them. A part of him was starting to wonder how he was even capable of writing these books.

“I must have forgotten, I’ll send a final print-“

“By Friday.” Katrina replied, not letting Harvey finish.

She was bossy, Harvey wasn’t sure if he respected that or if he wanted to call her out.

“Sure.” Was all he decided to say. He made sure to record to himself that he would ask Donna or Marcus some more about his career and Katrina, and also to look for the rough draft on his computer and look up the case. Shit. His life was really complicated.

**

Mike groaned as he went through all the bills that were sitting on his desk.

“Student loans, tuition, rent.” He said under his breath “Oh, and that funeral agency called me again, why cannot anything go my way?”

Trevor went over to him and handed him some crumpled up bills “Here, man.”

“I can’t take any more of your money.” Mike stated.

“Dude, when you’re a fancy lawyer, making more money than you could ever owe me, you can pay me back.”

Trevor said stubbornly, throwing the money on the desk in front of Mike. “I’m good for it.” Mike said and Trevor patted his back.

“I know you are dude.” He said “And it’s sick that they keep hassling your for money about the funeral, by the way, how is that inheritance coming along?”

“Do you mean mission impossible?” Mike asked on another groan, “I’m starting to wonder if it’s a lost cause.”

“Hey, it’s alright.” Trevor said.

“Starting from today I’m gonna do things differently.” Mike promised “I’m gonna get my shit together.”

“You’re preaching to the choir, mister!” Trevor said as he slumped down in to the sofa and turned on the wii.

“I’m gonna get my money situation straightened out, and I’m gonna break things off with Kyle.”

“Good, he was such a douche.”

“I know.” Mike said and yes, he had known Kyle was a douche. Like the king of all douches, but he had still dated him. He didn’t even know why. It was good in the beginning. It always was.

“Find a nice, normal, guy- or girl.” Trevor said “Who can deal with all your flaws.”

Mike tackled him onto the floor.

**

Harvey had thought his day had been going pretty good up until the point when he had come home from grocery shopping, and met the people who were living above him. Apparently, it seemed like they knew about his condition, since the woman introduced herself, and then yelled at her niece when she tried to swindle Harvey out of five bucks, saying he owed her, which he didn’t according to Zoe.

Harvey wondered if he had a note somewhere saying something like ‘the people upstairs= Zoe, and her niece Olivia’, probably not. T

hat night he went through the recap of the case, kicking himself mentally for not writing any of this stuff down before. It was a somewhat interesting case and definitely relevant to the chapter Katrina had commented on. No wonder she had questioned why he hadn’t added it before.

Afterwards while he was brushing his teeth, and listening to the recorder playing through his notes for the day, as the computer automatically wrote it down for him, he suddenly stopped as he heard a familiar voice. Uh, hi. You don’t know me, and I don’t usually do stuff like this. Was that the kid from the diner? Mike?

_I just wanted to say I really like your books. They’re great, I mean, I read some of them. I’m in law school… Harvard, like you were, uh, okay, anyway, keep writing or whatever. Have a nice day, and a nice life.. I’m Mike by the way._

Harvey quickly found a pen and wrote down “Talk to Marcus about Mike.”


	2. Cause this is what dreams should always be

Mike was sure that his jaw almost hit the floor when he got his paper back and there was a big red C on the front of it. He didn’t get C’s. Never. He'd never gotten anything less than an A during his academic career. He was told he needed to read some newer material, not only the textbooks. That he needed to connect the law to current cases and do some more research. That he needed to  _relate_ more. Mike just thanked his professor and was on his way. Maybe he should actually try this whole studying thing for once? But what was the point of having a perfect eidetic memory if he couldn’t just read the curriculum once and be done with it? This had been his dream once. Maybe he should respect that some more. When he got out from class, he noticed someone had stolen the seat to his bike.

Again.

**

Harvey smiled at strangers as he jogged by, just like it had said in his file. Afterwards he sat down and read about his medical condition, everything that was stated in his file. On the back of it, it said that if he needed help, he could call Donna, and then a number. He dialed the number.

_Hey. You okay? You wanna talk about it?_

God, it was so good hearing her voice.

“Do I call you every morning?”

 _No, not every morning. You need me to come over?_ “

No, it’s okay.” Harvey said “Donna, I left New York because of this?”

_Yes, the doctors all thought it was a good idea to go back to your roots so to speak. To be close to Harvard, and Marcus._

“I couldn’t work anymore, could I?” Harvey asked, pinching his nose. He was getting another headache. It was difficult. Too much stress, it only made things worse.

“What about you?” Harvey asked “You didn’t have to leave, I don’t understand.”

 _Harvey, you told me a long time ago that you didn’t want to find out what kind of lawyer you’d be without me. That you needed me in your life. Well, now I feel the same way. I am still your assistant, just in another business. I like it here_.

“Thank you, for everything.” Harvey said, there was no words to ever express how grateful he was to the wonder that was Donna Paulsen.

Later he did what was said on the note and asked Marcus about this Mike person. It felt kind of weird living his entire life after his own notes, but the system was really good and he appreciated the effort that Marcus and Donna had put into it.

He played him the recording, and Marcus just started rambling about even without his memory, every guy and girl still fell straight at his feet. After Harvey got him to focus, Marcus told him that Mike was probably a nice guy, not that attractive, and a psycho that left messages to strangers.

“I like him.” Harvey had answered.

“Only you.” Marcus had answered “Anyway, get lost, I have to get to work.”

Remembering the notes from the morning, Harvey went to the coffee shop right next to his apartment to write, and re-write his draft for Katrina. Realizing he was getting a headache, Harvey decided to go for a walk.  As he made his way down the street, thankful he still remembered his way around town when he suddenly bumped into someone.

“Oh, hey.” Mike said as he grinned at him “Fancy meeting you here.”

Harvey squinted, trying his best trying to remember the kid. “It’s me, do you remember?” Mike asked “Eh, Harvey right?” he asked clumsily, like he didn’t remember. Of course he remembered. “Sorry I freaked you out that day I waited on you, it was one of those days.”

Harvey still felt like a giant question mark. “Hmm.” Harvey just answered, trying to imply that he remembered this man. He really wished he did.

“So, are you going in here too?” Mike asked and pointed to the shop entrance next to them. Harvey turned his head to look. A shabby looking jewelry store. Why not?

“Yes, I am.” Harvey said, really trying to be as smooth as he used to be back in the day, but knew that he was failing miserably.

“Cool.” Mike said as he opened the door, letting Harvey walk in first. “So what are you doing here?” He asked and Harvey shrugged his shoulders.

“Just window shopping.” He said, not really knowing what to answer without sounding like a total creep. "I was just at the coffee shop around the corner, writing, thought I'd take a break and go... look for a watch."

Harvey had to fight back the groan wanting to escape his throat. He was _so_ not the cool guy he was in Harvard, and he surely lacked the confident he had when he was a lawyer in New York. Sometimes, he just felt lost.

But then Mike grinned widely at him, which somehow made him feel found again.

“I’ll just-“he said and pointed to the counter as he went over “Hey, I need to sell this.” He said and handed a watch to the guy behind it.

The man behind the counter gave him a smile, before he looked it over. “I’m sorry, sir, this is a fake.”

“What?” Mike asked in disbelief, Harvey couldn’t help but step closer as Mike started cursing through his teeth, slamming the watch onto the glass counter, breaking the watch. “Lying piece of shit.”

Harvey walked over and looked at the watch, Mike looked too pissed to mind “Who’s K?” he asked as he noticed the initials.

“My ex, asshole.” Mike said and Harvey gave a nod as he bit his lip.

“How about those there?” The clerk asked and pointed to Mike’s chest. Harvey followed his eyes and noticed to golden bands in a chain around Mike’s necks.

“Oh, they were my parents’ wedding rings.” Mike said and grabbed onto them, holding them tight.

“That’s white gold.” He said “I can tell from here, I can give you a hundred bucks for them.”

Mike wet his lips with his tongue, holding tightly onto the rings before he pretty much yanked them off the chain and placed them on the counter “I really need the money.” He said sadly. Harvey really wanted to protest, to tell Mike he could give him the money even though it wasn’t like he was swimming in money these days. He didn’t know how though, but he just knew that Mike wasn’t the kind of guy that would just take his money.

Harvey did the next best thing he could think of then. “Those are worth a lot more than a hundred dollars.” Harvey jumped in, putting his hand on top of the rings before the clerk could grab them.

After arguing over price for about five minutes, Harvey managed to get four hundred out of the man. Afterwards, Mike thanked him, saying that was one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for him. Harvey just shrugged it off as a nice gesture, saying he used to have expensive taste so he knew what he was talking about.

“Couldn’t let you get ripped off.” Harvey said.

“Thank you anyway.” Mike said "Really." He was about to walk away when Harvey stopped him.

“Wait, what was your name again?”

Mike smiled “Mike.”

“Mike.” Harvey repeated. As soon as Mike was out of sight, Harvey went straight back into the store and bought the rings back.

Once he got home, he put them in a little envelope marked ‘save for Mike’.

**

“So he’s a lawyer?” Trevor had asked while Mike was sitting by the kitchen counter, writing a card.

“Well, he used to be, I guess, now he writes.” Mike said “Don’t know why.”

“There’s probably something wrong with him.” Trevor said “I mean, if _'you're_ interested.”

“I could be right about him.” Mike said. Trevor grimaced when he saw the card

“Mike.”

“I am just being nice back to a nice guy.” Mike said “He stood up for me today.”

“You are such a damsel in distress.” Trevor said “One of these days you’re gonna get murdered or something, naïve asshole.”

“Love you too.”

The next day when Harvey sat down at the coffee shop, ready to write. He was surprised when the barista came up to him and gave him a card that someone had left for him. He opened it and smiled at once.

_Harvey._

_Thank you again for your help. Good luck with your writing._

_\- Mike_

He swore he could feel a familiar warmth in his chest even before he remembered the name from his notes.


	3. I Just Want To Stay

«He sent you a card?» Marcus asked in disbelief. “With his number one the back?”

«Well, yeah.» Harvey answered, not understanding what the big deal was. Even after Marcus had accused this Mike person of being a stalker.

“Call him.” Marcus said then, as Harvey walked after him down the street.

“What, I can’t call him?” Harvey asked “I can’t even remember him!”

“He left you a message on your recorder; he sent you a card, what more is there?” Marcus asked “You need to get back out there.”

“Marcus…”

“Look, you had an aneurism; your short-term memory is gone.” Marcus replied, stating the obvious. “Thankfully you’re still alive, and you remember everything before the accident, including me.”

Harvey just gave him a look. “But you’re not living, dude.” He said “We all have trauma, I divorced the woman I thought I was gonna spend the rest of my life with, I know it’s not the same, but-“

“You and Sophia got divorced?” Harvey asked, he’d never seen that coming in a million years.

“Yes!” Marcus asked, like this was something Harvey asked a lot. Maybe he should write it down somewhere?

“Just call him, okay?” Marcus then gave him a slap on his shoulder, before stomping off to his lunch meeting. Harvey then took a deep breath, and embraced his old-self as he fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed the number on the back of the card.

“Hello, this is Mike and Trevor, oh, and sometimes Jenny! None of us can get to the phone right now so please leave a message after the beep!”

‘Who’s Trevor?’ Harvey thought as he heard the beep.

**

The moment Mike stepped into the apartment and threw his messenger bag on the floor, he realized someone was leaving them a message. He smiled as he recognized the voice.

 _So, yes, it’s Harvey, hello. So I was wondering if you wanted to do have some dinner or something on Friday? How about at…. Ameli’s? They have some great food…_. I

t sounded like Harvey was hesitating about what to say next, and Mike had to snicker.

_How about at seven- thirty? I could meet you there? Anyway, this was Harvey, uh, Specter… Oh, and this message was for Mike by the way. Okay, bye._

Mike couldn’t help but laugh as he pictured Harvey leaving that message.

**

As Harvey’s recorder replayed everything he had noted that day and it was automatically typing it into the computer, he had to smile as he could hear his own voice saying “oh, and at seven- thirty you have a date with Mike.”

He then groaned as the storm outside got worse, and suddenly his entire apartment went dark. Great, the storm probably took out the power. Putting his research aside, he went to look for a flashlight before hearing a voice calling his name outside his apartment.

“Hello?” He said as he peeked outside, looking up the stairs, a light from a flashlight blinding him.

“Harvey, is that you?” A female voice asked “Are you okay?”

Harvey was a little confused, but nodded nonetheless.

“I’m Zoe, my niece Olivia and I live upstairs.” She said with a smile, and then suddenly the power came back, and the lights returning. “That’s better.”

“I’m sorry.” Harvey apologized “I have some trouble with my memory-“ he tried explaining, feeling he needed to. She just smiled at him again

“No worries, Harvey, you’re doing great.”

As Harvey dragged his feet back to bed, he didn’t even realize the warning on his computer saying: **Power Interrupted. Transcription failed.**

**

Mike was couldn’t help but smile as Jenny told him that he looked good and that he had to get going if he was going to make his date, even after he had promised to do a double-shift that day. It wasn’t until Kyle called that he started getting cold feet. Mike had kind of a terrible track record when it came to dating. He always ended up getting hurt. It was always good in the beginning, he reminded himself. He ignored the call, grabbed his wallet and headed out the door.

**

Harvey could barely keep his eyes open after a long day of research, finally finishing his third-draft and sending it to Katrina for approval. When he was about to find a movie to watch, his phone rang.

He looked at the screen before answering. “Hey, Marcus.”

“Don’t ‘hey’ me, tell me what happened!” His brother sounded very enthusiastic, too bad Harvey couldn’t understand what he was talking about, obviously not his writing “Did it go okay? Just tell me, yes or no?”

“What are you talking about?” Harvey asked, clearly confused.

“Harvey… Where the hell are you?”

“I’m at home.” Harvey replied, where else would he be?

“God, you idiot!” His brother yelled at him “Are you dressed? I’m coming to get you.”

**

Mike wanted to kick himself as he went out of the restaurant, he wanted to tell himself that Harvey probably had a good reason for standing him up, but deep down he knew that wasn’t true. What had he been thinking? Harvey Specter had been way out of his league from the get-go. God, he felt like such an idiot.

Harvard. He really should focus on Harvard. It was the one god thing he had in his life now, and because he was so fucked up he was even screwing things up there.

His phone rang. It was Kyle. He answered it at once. “Don’t call me, text me, e-mail me or write me. Leave me the hell alone. I do not want to talk to one more person that is just going to let me down.” Was all he said before he hung up on him and deleted his number.

**

After Harvey had just whined about his brain trying to protect him, since he was too fucked up to be in a relationship, Marcus had dropped the pep-talk and practically yelled at Harvey to stop being such a pussy and go get the guy. Of course, Mike wasn’t still at the restaurant and again, Harvey wanted to give up, but then he remembered what he should have known all along, Harvey Specter doesn’t give up.

Marcus then drove him to Mike’s apartment, getting the address off the envelope on the card Mike had given him.

“What the hell do you have there anyway?” He asked, pointing to the folder in Harvey’s lap. “Doesn’t matter, get up there, one of us should have a romantic life!”

“What happened with Sophia?”

“… Get out of my car!”

Harvey tried coming up with a good apology as he made his way up the stairs, not finding any, he decided to wing it. Knocking the door, he could hear a voice shouting “It’s open!” He took a deep breath and opened the door, and could barely see a man in the living room.

“I just got back, so how did it-“ he said as he went into the hallway, and noticed Harvey standing there. Harvey had to say he was surprised to say the least, Mike was not what he had imagined at all. To be honest, there wasn’t any immediate attraction, they must have some kind of other connection to make Harvey like him as much as his notes suggested.

“Hi, I am so sorry.”

“Oh, okay?”

“I’m usually more organized than this, I am really sorry, Mike.” Harvey tried, it wasn’t really good, but it was the best he could do under the circumstances. “Anyway, this is for you- I wanted to-“ he said, holding up the folder, but then the man cut him off.

“What the hell is this?” He answered “I’m not Mike.”

It took about three seconds for Harvey to register and find a solution to the problem he now found himself in “I know that.” He replied “I was just, you know, practicing.”

Oh god, he was such an idiot.

“For what?”

“For Mike.”

“Well, here I am.” A soft voice said and Harvey sharply turned around to see a young, blonde man looking at him with raised eyebrows. Something in Harvey just clicked, and it wasn’t the fact that he wanted to call the guy out on his obviously cheap suit or skinny tie. He looked kind of roguishly handsome. This was Mike. Definitely.

“Hey.” He said “I just wanted to say I’m sorry, I can’t imagine what you’re thinking.”

Mike didn’t answer.

“This is for you.” He said and put the folder down at the table in the hallway “It’s a rough draft for my new book, you said you liked them right? I wanted to get your opinion, would mean a lot… Anyway, guess I can’t really…”

“Just thank you, I’m not sure.” Harvey said “Okay…”

He took a step towards Mike “I really am sorry, you seem… brilliant.”

Harvey wished he could go back to who he was, wished he could remember, wished he had the confidence in himself that he used to so he could get a second chance with this man. He seemed worth it. He couldn’t though. So all he did was give one more nod before leaving the apartment, knowing that Mike didn’t owe him anything, and he hated himself for not being able to tell him the truth.

**

Mike closed the door after Harvey had left and gave Trevor a look. “Wow, that’s a keeper.” His best friend said sarcastically. Mike just gave his friend another look, making his way into the apartment, only stopping briefly to look at the folder on the table. It was a very sweet gesture that he trusted him enough to see his work before it was published.

“Mike, I know that look.” Trevor said “Don’t you dare!”

Mike was out the door before he could reconsider.

**

Harvey couldn’t say he wasn’t surprised when he heard Mike calling his name. He was even more surprised when it seemed like Mike was even ready to forgive him. Harvey couldn’t understand why. There was something about this guy.

After apologizing again, Harvey thanked him for coming after him. “I haven’t dated in a while, I work a lot.”

“Sure.” Mike replied, “I’ve been busy too.”

Harvey gave him a thankful smile. “So you’re at the coffee shop a lot?” Mike asked, and Harvey just stared confusingly at him “The coffee shop, near the jewelry store where we-“

“Oh, right.” Harvey said, catching on. He didn’t really remember the events, out of what was written in his notes, but he wouldn’t ask anymore, knowing it would probably seem both weird and rude. “Yeah, I usually write there, except when I need some more research.”

“Well, let me know if you wanna come with me to the library back at campus.” Mike said “Excellent study environment, well, you would know, wouldn’t you?”

Harvey smiled. He did miss cram sessions back in law school. Maybe it would even be good for his memory. “Sure, you could sneak me in sometime.”

“You’re almost a legend in my class, don’t think you’ll need to be snuck in.” Mike replied.

Harvey couldn’t help but think that if he had met Mike in another life, the kid would never have been able to give him that compliment, worried about Harvey’s ego. Now though, he was just being kind. It was sort of nice, being reminded that he was important to someone. So instead of answering with “I know,” he smiled and said “thank you.”

Mike gave him a beautiful grin and Harvey looked him straight in the eye “You wanna go somewhere else?”

They went to get ice-cream at a place Mike recommended, and Mike chuckled as Harvey took out his pen and said “remember, Mike’s favorite flavor is chocolate-mint.”

He didn’t find it weird at all, he just smiled.

“So, anyway.” Mike said as they went for a walk, their ice-cream melting in the warm weather “I’m just doing the school, waiter thing, trying to figure out what my next step is gonna be.”

“You grew up here?” Harvey asked and Mike shook his head.

“New York, born and raised.” He said and Harvey gaped.

“Really?”

“Yeah, you too, right?” He asked, and Harvey nodded. “You’ve been stalking me?” He asked teasingly, feeling a bit of his old-self coming back to life.

Mike shook his head. “No, sorry.” He said “I have a kind of perfect memory, I read something once and then remember it, and once I’ve remembered it, I can understand it.”

Harvey didn’t answer then. It was brilliant off course, but god, he was so jealous. In another life he would just find this fascinating, now he was so envious it almost burned. He tried to remember his brother’s words then, he was alive, he should be thankful for that.

“You think I’m a freak don’t you?” Mike asked and Harvey realized he’d been quiet for a long time.

“No, of course not.” Harvey said “Just fascinated, I guess.”

“Yeah, right.” Mike said.

“No, really.” Harvey said genuinely “I think it’s kind of amazing, wish I had that.”

Mike smiled again then. Harvey loved it when he smiled.

“So, Mike.” He said “You moved here because of Harvard? Seems like there’s more to the story.”

Mike nodded “Yeah, I’ve always wanted to go to law school, but back in New York I cared for my grandmother, she raised me since I was a kid.”

Harvey realized he admired that about him. “So what happened?” The moment he’d asked, he wanted to take it back, it was pretty obvious wasn’t it?

Mike answered with a sad smile “She passed away last year, and I needed to get away, so I re-applied to Harvard and Trevor and I moved down here.”

“He’s your roommate right?” Harvey asked, he desperately needed to remember that name.

Mike nodded “Best friend since I was a kid, stuck with me through everything, he’s kind of an ass, but he’s all I got.” He said “My parents died when I was eleven, it’s a long story, but I’ve wanted to be a lawyer ever since.”

Harvey nodded in understanding.

“I’m really over-sharing for a first date aren’t I?” Mike stated, feeling so stupid as he looked down at the ground.

“No, it’s nice meeting someone so open.” Harvey said “Trust me, once you’ve become a lawyer that won’t be easy to find.”

Mike bit his lip “I sometimes pictured myself as this successful guy that helps people, who doesn’t always worry about his bills, or who can’t even pay his half of his rent.”

“I’ve been a student, trust me, I know what you’re going through.”

“Yeah, but you made it, didn’t you?” Mike said “It feels like every time I take a step forward, life pushes me two steps back.”

Harvey knew the feeling.

“So what kind of person are you?” Mike asked, and Harvey wasn’t sure if he was quoting Siendfeld or not, but he really needed to know, so he took his chances trying to quote back, if Mike got it, he could really understand why he wouldn’t let this guy go even though he clearly never remembered him each time he had met him. “

I think I’m pretty much like you….”

“Only successful?” Mike said over Harvey, and Harvey grinned like a lunatic. Mike laughed.

“So writing is your thing?” He asked after a little while.

“No, the law will always be my thing.” Harvey stated. Mike noticed that he looked kind of sad.

“Then why did you start writing?” Mike asked, and Harvey really wanted to answer as openly as Mike had been with him.

“Good question.” Harvey said “I had this amazing job back in New York, my boss Jessica was the one who put me through law school, she saw great potential in me when I was working down in the post office at her firm.”

“Really?” Mike asked with fascination.

“I owe her everything.” Mike just looked at him, with these amazing eyes that could look right through you. A man who still showed the kid who had lost everything, but still stayed on his feet even through everything. Harvey wanted to tell him, wanted to tell this person that, to him, he had only just met today, everything. He couldn’t.

“Well, the law is in everything.” He said “I guess I needed a new perspective on everything, plus, there needs to be more books about ethics and law in the real world from someone who’s actually experienced it.

“That’s why I love your books.” Mike confessed “They aren’t just texts on pages, they’re real, they represent what I fell in love with in the law to begin with, it’s supposed to be about justice.”

Harvey smiled “I think that’s the greatest compliment I’ve ever gotten.”

Mike shrugged “Not sure my opinion matters.”

“Why wouldn’t it?”

Mike smiled “Listen, I have to get back, I have a lot of stuff I need to do tomorrow.”

“Oh right.” Harvey answered, a little disappointed.

“But on Sunday, I am wide open.” Mike said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, nothing to do on Sunday.” Mike continued hinting. When Harvey didn’t reply, he asked “Are you gonna ask me out again or not?”

“Like, on a real date?”

“Yeah, you could even show up on time, and we could do something normal?” Mike suggested “If you want, you can even skip the part where you flirt with my roommate?”

Harvey groaned, and Mike laughed.

“Sure.”

“Sure- you’re asking me out?” Mike wanted to know if he understood Harvey right. He wasn’t the easiest guy to read, that was for damn sure.

“Sunday.” Harvey stated “This time I’ll remember.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” Harvey said and stopped dead in his track to look into Mike’s eyes, knowing he was serious. Mike might not understand how important that promise actually was for him. The struggle, the meaning.

“Good.”

**

Harvey gazed out of his window as he hit his recording-pen.

“Mike Ross. You had a date with Mike Ross tonight and it was fantastic. Try and find a way to keep him.”


	4. I just want to keep this dream in me

«As I live and breathe.» Jenny said sarcastically as she peaked over Mike’s shoulder, «Mike Ross is _studying_?”

“Don’t hassle me, Jen.” Mike answered, not looking up from his book “I’m on a break.”

“Break’s over.” Jenny said “Go serve the paying customers.”

Mike put down his book and offered his boss a smile.

“Serving.”

**

_“So, anyway, I’m just doing the school, waiter thing, trying to figure out what my next step is gonna be.”_

Harvey was smiling a little nervously as he played the recording to Donna, who was making them some coffee. Donna turned around and handed him a cup as she offered him a sweet smile “Who is that?” she asked.

“It’s this guy,” he answered “that I have another date with tomorrow.”

“Another?” Donna asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Apparently we had one last night.” Harvey told her, the smile never leaving his face.

“And?”

“It went very well.” Harvey said, shaking his head in disbelief “I can’t explain it, but I think I really like him.”

Donna just looked at him for a moment, and Harvey was awaiting the usual questions whenever he started dated someone; most of which was surprisingly sexual. Instead, she just clasped his knee.

“You should get dressed, because you have a doctor’s appointment.”

Harvey was a little taken back at that, but decided not to say anything at the moment.

The doctor prodded and asked questions, the usual stuff that Harvey knew he had hated even before his brain had started turning against him.

“So you understand that your aneurism destroyed your hippocampus?” the doctor asked as he checked his pupils with his annoying little flashlight. Harvey nodded. Destroyed was such a harsh word. It really made him realize the situation.

“I’m sorry; I’ve probably asked this before.” Harvey said “But what happens with my new memories? The one after the aneurism?”

The doctor stood up straight and looked him over once more before going back to his desk and sitting down “Most healthy brains use sleep to consolidate short-term memories into long.”

Harvey nodded once before looking over at Donna, wondering for a brief moment if she always went with him to the doctor or if sometimes Marcus went as well.

“For you, it’s the opposite.” The doctor explained, “When you sleep, your short-term memory disappears.”

He also said something about how complicated the brain and it’s neurons was and how the blockage was very difficult to locate, but Harvey was still trying to grasp the thing about sleep.

“Headaches?” The doctor asked.

“I’ve noted twice a day.” Harvey answered. “Or so, Donna and Marcus sat up a good system for me.”

The doctor praised the system as well, trying to re-arrange a new appointment when Harvey suddenly couldn’t take it anymore.

“I can’t live like this.” He said, his voice almost breaking.

Harvey then told the doctor how he wanted his life back, and when the doctor answered that their goal was to get his mind back, Harvey just couldn’t take it anymore. The images of Jessica calling him an idiot, of his rivalries with Louis, the coffee and snarky comment that Donna had ready for him every morning as he walked into the office, the feeling of winning a case came into his mind like a tidal wave and he just missed it so much.

“I’m so incredibly grateful to you.” He told Donna “For everything you’ve done…”

He started rambling, that was the only word he knew to describe what he was doing as he went on and on about how he couldn’t move forward, how he was stuck, and how he needed ‘new’.

The thought of Mike’s voice from his recording came flooding back, and he took a deep breath and swallowed.

“I need to be able to connect to people, and not just forget them every single day!”

He wasn’t sure when he had started shouting, but he felt his throat getting sore, and he swallowed heavily again. Harvey begged him then, something he knew that wasn’t really something he usually did, not even now, but he was so desperate. So he begged; he begged the doctor to fix his mind.

Donna took his hand in hers then, trying to act comforting, but he knew what she was going to say before she said it“Harvey, he can’t, not yet.”

The car drive home was pretty quiet, seemed like Donna still knew exactly what he needed even when he wasn’t sure himself. As she dropped him off at home, she made sure that he was okay before letting him out of the car.

“Harvey!” She said as he was about to close the door, he leaned over to look at her. “If you are serious about this Mike person, then you need to tell him.”

“Donna…”

“It’s not fair to him, and it’s not fair to you either.” She said stubbornly “When are you going to learn how to listen to me before everything gets screwed up?”

Harvey smiled “I’ll see you around alright? Thank you.”

“Sure, call me if you need anything.”

Afterwards he went on his usual morning jog that had been pushed back because of his doctor’s appointment; Marcus had caught up with him half way. Harvey didn’t even bother to ask if it was a coincidence or not, seeing as how his brother knew his entire schedule; he was pretty sure he knew the answer.

Harvey wasn’t sure he liked the look on Marcus’ face when he told him he was going to tell Mike about his condition. “You hardly know him!” Marcus said “You really think this is such a good idea?”

“I’ve made up my mind, okay?” Harvey said as he slowed down his pace so it would be easier for them to talk.

“Okay, but listen to me, okay?” Marcus said as he put a hand on Harvey’s shoulder to make him stop “If you are serious about this, please, at least try to romance him some first.”

“Romance?” Harvey asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Just trust me.” Marcus said “I went out with this girl a couple of weeks ago, she loved it.”

“What?” Harvey asked, disbelief clear in his voice “You’re cheating on Sophia?” he could feel himself getting mad then, after everything they had gone through with their mother-

“Sophia is seeing someone else, you asshat!” Marcus said, pushing him in the shoulder “We’re divorced.”

Marcus then grabbed his recordable pen from his pocket and shouted that fact into it and the address of a place he could take Mike, before throwing it back at him and jogging off. Harvey had a feeling his brother had told him that one too many times.

**

“Really?” Mike asked, completely surprised as they went inside the place Marcus had suggested. Harvey wanted to groan out loud as he noticed all the teenagers, the bright and flashing lights and the horrible music that was playing.

“A friend recommended it.” Harvey said “Or actually it was my brother, now I am starting to wonder if he was pissed at me.”

“Rollerblading doesn’t exactly seem like your kind of style.” Mike replied, taking it all in.

“No, you know, maybe we should just get something to eat…” Harvey said, feeling so stupid.

“No, come on.” Mike replied as he grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the counter where they could get their rollerblades.

“What?” Harvey asked “Really?”

“Really.”

It turned out Mike was actually horrible at rollerblading. “Shit.” He said each time he almost fell and Harvey had to grab him so he didn’t end up on his face, or ass.

“I thought you’d be good at this.” Harvey said “Seeing how you were the one who insisted.”

“You brought me here.” Mike said in his defense “Plus, I thought I’d be good at it too.”

“Guess we were both wrong.” Harvey said and almost regretted it when he noticed how Mike hid his face and suggested they’d get a snack instead.

“So how could you think you were good at something it seemed like you’d never tried before?” Harvey asked, trying to lighten the suggestion as Mike tried to swallow the horrible nachos Harvey had bought for him.

“How much are you gonna judge me if I said I’d been to one of these places before?” Mike asked “And that I might have been high as hell, thinking I was the best skater there.”

Harvey didn’t answer at once, knowing he couldn’t judge with his track record, but without sounding too curious if Mike was still doing that stuff.

“I don’t judge people that easily.” He answered.

Mike only laughed at that “You can relax, it was like another life ago.” He said “Before my grandmother got really sick.”

“Oh.” Was all he answered, not really sure what to say to that.

“I keep making our dates really depressing, don’t I?”

As the DJ announced the last couple’s dance of the night, Harvey wanted to grab his chance, and he felt like a teenager again as he got up and offered his hand to Mike.

“Make it up to me?”

“I wanted to impress you.” Mike answered, “I sucked.”

“Come on.” Harvey said “I don’t give up easily, might as well go with it.”

Mike grinned and took his hand.

As they made their way out on the rink, Mike managed not to fall flat on his face. Harvey was kind of proud, even though he had to hold Mike’s hand the entire time.

“You’re a fast learner!” he announced and Mike only chuckled nervously.

“Usually.” He said “Forget it, I’m just terrible at this.”

“No one cares.” Harvey answered as he told Mike to come a little closer, he sneaked an arm around the man’s waist, the other one still holding his hand as he guided Mike through it.

“Yeah, you got it!” Harvey said proudly as Mike finally got the hang of it.

“I’m a real natural!” Mike answered. Harvey then fished his phone out of his pocket and tried not to seem too weird as he told Mike he needed to document the moment and took a picture of the two of them. He just wanted to have a face to put to the voice when he woke up tomorrow morning.

Harvey wasn’t sure how to explain the feeling he had during the last moments of that song, as they were goofing around, singing along like a couple of idiots. He felt kind of drunk, and was starting to see what people meant with the phrase “high on life”.

Afterwards they went for a walk, an actual walk. That wasn’t something he could ever remember doing in the middle of the day when he had his busy life back in the city.

“Today was really great.” Mike told him as they made their way down the streets.

“Can I ask you something?” Harvey asked.

“Sure.”

“Why do you want to be a lawyer?” Harvey wondered, “I mean, you said something about your parents?” He wished he could remember the actual conversation, not just the recording he had listened to again that morning.

“My parents died in a car crash when I was little.” Mike said “You know, in the movies, whenever something like that happens, the main characters always decides to be a doctor or a paramedic because they tried so hard to save them you know?”

Harvey nodded.

“Not me.” Mike said “I remember the attorney who came to me and my grandma and put a price on my parents life.”

“Say no more.” Harvey said as he also saw how Mike was struggling to tell the story “I get it, I really do.”

“You do?” Mike asked, he looked so surprised “It’s just, most people don’t.”

“So that’s your plan?” Harvey asked “Graduate, move back to the city and work for a fancy law firm?”

“That’s what you did, isn’t it?” Mike asked “Anyway, I don’t really see that happening.”

“Why not?” Harvey asked with a frown.

“I can barely pay for my tuition.” Mike said “I didn’t get a full scholarship, possibly because I took college for granted and didn’t put in the effort I should have.”

“But you’re going to finish school?” Harvey asked.

“You saw me in that stupid jewelry store.” Mike said, feeling both sad and embarrassed “I owe my roommate money for rent, I have bills, even if I could graduate, something I really am trying to save up for, I don’t see how I could get back to the city, get an apartment…”

Harvey bit his lip, not sure if he should ask his next question, but Mike seemed like the kind of guy who would stop him if Harvey pushed too far.

“So what are you going to do?”

“I am waiting on some money.” Mike answered, “My inheritance from my grandma, I didn’t even know she had left me anything, but apparently she had saved up money for me to go to Harvard, but there’s some problems with the will.”

Harvey really wanted to tell him that he could help, he could look it over and be of some assistance, but how could he do that?

“I’m sorry.” Was all he said, and he felt like a jackass. Mike didn’t seem to even mind.

“I just feel like I’ve put my life on hold because of this, but I am so tired of that.”

“I get it.” Harvey said as he put a hand on Mike’s shoulder. “I really do.” He said before leaning in closer, his hesitation was unnecessary though as Mike met him halfway and their lips touched in a sweet kiss. Mike took a hold of the hand on his shoulder and squeezed it tightly before pulling away, grinning hugely.

“Hey, what’s this?” he asked, and Harvey looked down to where Mike was holding his hand.

 **_Tell Mike_** was written in the palm of his hand. Harvey shrugged it off then, not wanting anything to ruin what was happening right there.

“Nothing.”

“Oh, but-“

“So this is me.” Harvey said and pointed to the apartment building behind him “It’s nothing fancy though.”

Mike smiled “I’ve always preferred the non-fancy kind anyway.”

Harvey might have lost his memories, but he wasn’t a fool and he understood that Mike was hinting at him to be invited upstairs. The situation being what it was right now though, he just couldn’t really bring himself to let him inside.

“Well, I should go.” Harvey said, and tried to ignore Mike’s disappointed facial expression “I’ll see you.”

“Yeah, sure.” Mike said, and before Harvey knew what he was doing, he was practically running for the door.

Mike dared to look over his shoulder one last time as he walked away, hoping Harvey would once again run after him. No such luck.

As he got back home, he slammed the door shut and threw his jacket on the floor.

“Wanna talk about it?” he could hear Trevor ask, and as he went into the living room he could see his roommate with an arm around Jenny as they seemed to be watching a movie.

“No.” Mike replied stubbornly as he kicked off his shoes, living them on the floor beside the coach. “Yes.”

He slumped down in the chair next to them and sighed heavily “Men suck.”

“Did you ask nicely?” Trevor asked, gaining a punch in the arm from his girlfriend.

“You like him, like a lot, don’t you?” Jenny asked and Mike nodded.

“Yeah, I guess I came on too strong, I don’t know.” Mike said before rubbing his face with the palm of his hand, god, this man was so confusing.

“Maybe he’s married.” Trevor suggested and Mike just groaned again. “Or in the closet or whatever.”

“Can you not with your god damn cynicism?” Mike asked, getting annoyed.

“Just saying, maybe you should cut him loose.” Trevor said. Mike just shot him one last glare before storming off to his own room.


	5. You're Losing Your Memory Now

Mike was having the worst feeling when he woke up that morning, and he wasn’t sure if it was the awful nachos wanting to make a re-appearance or how his date had ended with Harvey last night.

His day got better, but the confusion he was feeling only grew when he got to work and Jenny pointed him to a present that had gotten delivered to him that morning.

_Thought flowers would too cheesy. Plus they die. Know you don’t prefer the fancy stuff, but this would be the exception. – Harvey_

“What does this mean?” Mike asked as he looked down at the scotch. “Not sure what to think here, Jen.”

“Well, it’s some expensive shit, that’s for sure.” Jenny said “Not something you can just pick up at the liquor store down the street.”

“So?”

“So, he wants you to know he likes you.” Jenny said “Plus, he admitted that he could have sent you flowers, _flowers,_ Mike.”

Mike wasn’t sure what kind of reasoning that was, but as always, he trusted Jenny to have a better judgment than him.

 

**

Harvey was having a completely shitty day that was for damn sure. That morning Katrina had called to hassle him about his book again _before_ he had a chance to finish reading the notes in his file, so beside the fact that he knew she was his boss, he had no idea what book she was talking about and had to fake it.

He hadn’t heard from Mike and wondered slightly if he’d gotten the scotch or if that had been completely stupid.

Then Donna had come over again to hear how things had went with Mike. He hated the look she got on her face when he had told her he didn’t had a chance to tell him yet.

“The balls to tell him, you mean.” She had said with a sneaky smile, and then picked up the picture Harvey had taken at the rink, that he had framed and put on his dresser.

She had held it up to Harvey’s face and told him that Mike was handsome. Harvey couldn’t understood how he felt proud over that fact, when he couldn’t even remember meeting Mike before. Donna asked him what he should do, and Harvey just shrugged and played another recording for a few seconds before stopping.

“I hate that I have to record our conversations, it’s so creepy.” He said “But he remembers them, so I have to remember them, boyfriends knows stuff like how he likes his scrambled eggs and why he went to law school-“

“Wait, hold up.” Donna cut him off and put down the picture again “Boyfriend?”

“He could be?” Harvey suggested, and Donna gave him another comforting smile.

“Yes, he could be.” She agreed “But it won’t be fair to date him unless he knows so you have to tell him.”

“I will.”

“Here’s your chance.” Donna sing-sang as she pointed out the window “Cause he’s coming this way.”

Harvey practically ran over to the window and peaked outside, seeing a guy in jeans and a hoodie making his way across the road. He took one last glance at the picture on the dresser and then he freaked.

Harvey Specter could not remember a lot of times in his life where had freaked out, even though he could imagine there must have been a few times after the incident, but this was definitely one of them.

“He’s not on my schedule!” Harvey protested to the universe “What do I do?”

Donna just bent over to get her purse before giving him a kiss on the cheek “Good luck.”

Really? Harvey would be sure to write this down so he could find some way to pay her back for this in the future.

“Shit.” He said as he looked around and frantically started tearing down post-its from the walls and putting away notes.

Before he knew it there was a knock on his door and he shouted “Just a second!” before he just took the huge stack of notes on his desk and pushed them under the blanket on his bed.

Then he ran over to the door and threw it open “Hey!” He said, taking in the man in front of him. He was taller than the picture suggested.

And a lot more handsome.

“Hey.” He answered “Maybe I should have called first?”

“Why?” Harvey asked “You are right on time.”

Mike was a little taken back by that “Am I?” he asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

“Oh, you aren’t?” Harvey asked, still grinning like a mad man, trying to disguise the fact that he had no fucking idea what was going on.

Mike seemed to hesitate before talking again “Thanks for the scotch.”

“Oh, yeah.” Harvey said “You’ll need to learn how to drink properly if you’re going to be a lawyer.”

“Right.” Mike said “So I wanted to thank you, and also, ask you a few questions?”

Harvey opened the door wider to let Mike in “Yes, of course, come on in.” he said.

Mike went into the apartment and looked around, as if he was trying to uncover the mysteries of the universe.

“You want anything to drink?” Harvey asked, clapping his hand together nervously.

The fact that Mike must notice how nervous Harvey was, just made him even more nervous. Harvey was afraid that Mike would think he had some weird clown-porn stash or a mistress hidden in the closet or something like that.

Oh god. What did he think when he saw Donna coming out of the apartment?

“Water?” Mike asked then and Harvey came out of his trance.

“Yes, sure.” He replied with a smile.

_Get your shit together, Specter._

Going into the small kitchen, he noticed all the post-it notes on the refrigerator and cabinet and tried to discreetly close the door behind him before pulling them all down, fully aware of how weird that must seem to the other man.

“No way!” He could hear Mike exclaim from the living room and he hurryingly got the water bottle out of the refrigerator and went back outside.

“No way what?” he asked, as he found Mike by his record collection.

“The Spinners?” Mike asked “Really?”

Harvey was a little offended by that, but also, very happy that that was all Mike had found.

“They were one of the defining pop bands of our time.” Harvey stated.

“Yeah, cool.” Mike said “Like The Jonas Brothers.”

Harvey had no idea who that was, and was not sure if he was going to bother to look it up either.

“Whatever.” Harvey said “I’m a lawyer, not a record producer.”

Mike’s eyes lit up then “No, what you are, is a trekkie.”

“Captain Kirk is the man, okay?” Harvey said and Mike just grinned at him. “So, here’s your water.”

“Thank you.” Mike answered as he took it from Harvey “I like your place.”

“Thanks, it’s cozy, I guess.” Harvey said “But you wanted to ask me something?”

“Oh, right.” Mike said then and now he was the one who seemed nervous “But, uh, what’s this?”

Harvey looked to where Mike was pointing. A white board that was set up in the middle of his room, with a bunch of case details.

“Oh.” Harvey replied, a little taken back by the question. “It was the last case I worked on before I moved back here.”

Mike hummed as he read it over “I think I remembered this. The Jackson kid, right?”

Harvey didn’t comment the fact that the name was written on the board, he just nodded.

“You were first chair on this, right?” Mike asked “I remember cause everyone thought you were crazy for defending him.”

“Oh, so not because you remember everything you read?”

Mike chuckled “That too.” He said “I always thought he was innocent.”

Harvey raised his eyebrows in shock. He always thought he was the only one. He practically had to beg Jessica to let him take the case.

Suddenly time flew by, and before they knew it, the sun had gone down and they were both sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace discussing the case.

“They call that move ‘doing a specter’ now.” Mike laughed and Harvey had to grin as well. He had no idea he had become this… legend or whatever, around here. He was known in New York for being the best closer in Manhattan, but he didn’t know his reputation had traveled this far.

“You’re bullshitting me.” Harvey said and Mike shook his head.

“Promise.” He said “Not many would have the balls that you had to bring this case to court, especially one with your reputation.”

“He was innocent.” Harvey stated, before he turned a little sad “Now he’s facing life in jail.”

“Could I borrow these?” Mike asked, holding up the case notes and the files of Harvey’s personal notes “I’d like to research them.”

“Be my guest.” Harvey said “I’ve read them a hundred times.”

He knew that for sure. Not only from his notes, but he just knew it in his gut.

“I read your draft by the way.” Mike said.

“And?”

“It was good.” Mike said “It was a good textbook.”

Harvey sighed heavily, leaning against the sofa. “But?”

“But… It’s not you.” Mike said “Look, I’ve read all of your books and the thing I love about them is that they are yours, they show the actual practical use of the law and the ethics of the real world.”

“What’s different about this one?” Harvey asked.

“You did all these amazing things, you were a great attorney.” Mike said “I just don’t understand how you could leave New York to write, I mean, in this book more than any of them, it’s clear how much you miss that.”

Harvey wasn’t sure if Mike knew him better than anyone else that had written his books, or if he was just really good at reading Harvey, because he was spot-on.

This would be the perfect opportunity to tell Mike, but how could he?

“Things change.” Harvey said with a shrug “Things that affect people’s life.”

“Like Jackson’s?” Mike asked.

Harvey sighed. He remembered the case too well. Jackson Fields. Had raised his two younger sisters all by himself. Growing up in a though neighborhood. He used to work at the gas station where Ray often filled up gas on his town car. Jackson Fields was also serving life in prison.

“When you talk about it.” Mike said “New York, your old job, the case, it’s like home to you.”

“Society wouldn’t work without the law.” Harvey said. “It’s like everything-“

“Depends on it.” Mike finished, and Harvey grinned hugely. Wondering if he would ever meet anyone who understood him better than Mike did.

And right there, he just had to kiss him.

After pulling away, Mike was smiling sweetly at him as he leaned in closer and rested his head on Harvey’s shoulder. Harvey kissed the top of his head and stared at the notes in front of the fire.

“You know, I don’t think anyone is really lost as long as there is still one person willing to believe in them.”

And since Harvey was really sure he never would have said anything like that before his accident, he wasn’t sure if he was still talking about Jackson.

“Then they weren’t really lost.” Harvey said “They were found.”

He didn’t know how to explain it, but he was starting to like this version of himself. He just wish he could know if it was because of the accident and everything that had happened, or if it was because of Mike.

“I can remember everything I read, and then understand it.” Mike said “But I wish I could remember moments like these forever too, cause I never wanna forget it.”

Harvey smiled, burying his cheek in Mike’s hair “me too.”

Mike looked up at him them, and smiled at him. Those blue eyes sparkling in the light from the fireplace.

Now or never.

“Look, Mike, there’s something-“

“Oh, shit!” Mike said and suddenly got to his feet, scrambling around for his messenger bag “Shit!”

“What?” Harvey asked, confused as he tried to follow Mike around the room.

“I have an assignment for tomorrow, shit!” Mike said “I actually studied, god, and I’m not finished!”

“But-“

“I am so sorry!” Mike said and leaned over and gave Harvey a quick peck on the lips “Call me!” he shouted before running out the door.

Harvey was stunned for a moment before he went after Mike through the door as Mike ran down the stairs “I will!” he shouted “I won’t forget!”

“Bye!” and then the door downstairs slammed shut.

Harvey fished his recorder out of his pocket “Call Mike.” He said into it “Michael James Ross, do _not_ forget him, no matter what happens, tell him everything.”

 

When he went for his usual jog the next morning, not even Marcus rambling in his ear about how it wasn’t a good idea to tell Mike could discourage him. He had to tell him, because Mike wasn’t going away any time soon if he could help it.

“You saying you love this guy?” Marcus asked as they went passed the old man playing sax by the water.

“I put everything about him into my morning file, and every day it seems like I feel the same way about him.” Harvey said, he didn’t know how he could explain it. He didn’t remember him, not a single memory was jogged when he woke up that morning and read through those notes.

It didn’t matter though, because when he looked at the picture on the dresser, it felt familiar somehow.

“So maybe, yes.” Harvey said “I do love him.”

“That’s some fucked up shit.” Marcus said “But okay then.”

So Harvey spent the rest of the morning pacing around the living room before finally picking up the phone and dialing Mike’s number.

_Hello_

“Hi, Mike, it’s Harvey.”

_Oh, I-_

“Listen, before you say anything I just want you to know why I’ve been acting so weird.”

_Really?_

Harvey pinched the bridge of his nose, Mike sounded a bit odd, was he getting a cold? Maybe he should wait until he was feeling better. No, it had to be now.

“It’s hard to explain, but maybe I could take you somewhere tonight and we could-“

_It’s not Mike. It’s Trevor. Mike’s roommate._

Harvey wanted to groan into the phone, and when he didn’t answer Trevor clearly understood his confusion.

_We’ve met when you mistook me for Mike, just wow._

“No, I-“

_Just shit, man. How many guys are you juggling? Whatever, call back and leave a message. I can’t deal with another one of Mike’s loony-cases today._

Harvey almost threw the phone across the room when Trevor hung up on him. What the actual fuck? He wanted to go over there and kick that guy’s ass. Harvey knew that he couldn’t though. The guy was important to Mike and for all Trevor knew, Harvey was just some douchebag who couldn’t tell him and Mike apart.

So he did what Trevor had said, he called again.

_Hello, this is Mike and Trevor, oh, and sometimes Jenny! None of us can get to the phone right now so please leave a message after the beep!_

“Hey, Mike. It’s Harvey.” He said then, tapping his hand on his thigh “I need to explain a few things to you. Can you meet me outside of campus at eight thirty tonight? I’ll be waiting for you there. Bye.”

 

**

 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Mike yelled as he threw stuff out of his closet, trying to find his jacket. “How could you delete my message, he thinks I stood him up!”

“This clown is a joke.” Trevor said.

Mike threw the draft he still had from Harvey on the bed next to where Trevor was sitting. “Read that!”

He then found three more books from his shelf that Harvey had written “Or this, or this or this!” He yelled “And tell me again that he’s a clown!”

“Okay, so I don't know what his problem is!”

“It’s your problem!” Mike said as he threw on his jacket “You want me to unhappy, is that it?”

Trevor looked offended at that, but Mike really didn’t care.

“Look at your track-record, you make horrible choices, Mike!” Trevor said “I’m just looking out for you!”

“ _I’m_ making bad choices?” Mike asked “I may not have gotten my shit together yet, Trevor, but you were in the same boat as me back in New York and you haven’t even told Jenny about the drugs!”

“That was a different me.” Trevor argued.

“And Harvey is different!” Mike said “He’s nice, and caring and really smart.”

“I told you about the message.” Trevor said as Mike was on his way out the door.

“Why?”

“Because I’ve never seen you wanted anything this bad.” Trevor said.

Mike knew that was true. Not Harvard. Not money. Not success. He just wanted Harvey.

Now all of it might be ruined.


	6. You're Losing Your Memory

Harvey had paced around the apartment, wondering for a long time why Mike had stood him up, when suddenly someone was banging on his front door. It was safe to say that he was more than a little surprised when he opened the door and saw a soaking wet Mike standing outside.

“Mike, what are you-?” he asked, not even being able to finish his sentence before Mike interrupted him.

“I am so sorry I didn’t show up.” Mike said, throwing his hands all over the place “My stupid roommate deleted the message. Why? Because he’s an asshole, but anyway, sorry.”

“You’re wet.” Harvey said.

“It’s raining.” Mike explained. Well, yes, Harvey was painfully aware of the rain crashing against his window, but Mike was soaked.

“Did you walk here?”

“I ran.” Mike said at once “I only have a bike, and someone has stolen the seat to it… again, and I couldn’t ask Trevor to borrow his piece of shit car after I had a hissy fit, so I just ran.” “

You had a hissy fit?” Harvey snickered, and Mike really wasn’t up for the teasing right now.

“Can I just come in?” he asked, annoyed and Harvey nodded and let him through the door. He was just happy there was an explanation to all of this.

“Can I get a towel?” Mike asked, and Harvey just looked at him for a moment before answering.

“Sure, sure you can.” Harvey said “Eh, the clean ones are in the bottom drawers of the dresser.”

Mike just went right past him and to the dresser, as he ducked down he noticed the picture on top of it.

“You have a framed picture of us on your dresser?” he asked as he got a clean towel and started drying himself off.

“That’s what boyfriends do, right?” Harvey asked and Mike smiled.

“Boyfriend?”

“Hope so.” Harvey said before taking a deep breath and meeting Mike’s eyes “But I really gotta tell you something.”

Mike looked both worried and offended at that, and Harvey really didn’t understand why until he opened his mouth.

“You’re married, aren’t you?”

“What?” Harvey asked.

“No, don’t tell me.” Mike said “You’re straight, right? This was just some-“

“Mike, shut up.” Harvey said and took Mike’s hands in his “No wife, no one else, just listen to me.”

Mike seemed nervous at that, but of course he wasn't any more nervous than Harvey was.

“I have a problem remembering.” Harvey said, yes, that was a good place to start. "As in, I can't."

Mike didn’t seem as thrown off by that as Harvey thought it would be. “That’s your problem?” he asked, and Harvey was almost offended. Like his problem wasn’t something huge.

“Yeah, but-“

“God, if you only knew the stuff I forget during a day.” Mike said “I mean, like normal stuff, like, I forget my phone at home almost every day.”

“No, Mike…” Harvey started as he squeezed Mike’s hands and led him over to the sofa, making him sit down with him.

“Hi..” he said nervously, and he wasn’t sure if he got more or less nervous when Mike answered with another “Hi!”

“Something happened to me, before I met you.”

“Harvey, I’m gonna stop you right there.” Mike said “I don’t care what happened before I met you, you’ve already heard what a fuck-up I was, but that shouldn’t affect us.”

Harvey wanted to smile at that and say that he agreed. Of course he didn’t care about Mike’s past, if anything, he was proud of far the kid had actually gotten, even if he didn’t feel that way himself. Suddenly Mike was right there, kissing him, one hand on his cheek and the other one working on the buttons of his shirt. No, that could not happen. Not until he’d told Mike the truth.

“Mike, stop it.” Harvey said, trying to gently take Mike’s hand in his to make him stop. Mike looked confused and a little hurt, which made Harvey feel like a dick. “You are amazing, and really hot, actually.”

The look Mike gave him didn’t give Harvey any other choice than to kiss him again, and as that kiss deepened, Harvey started to panic and pulled away again, squeezing Mike’s shoulders for dear life.

“I want to remember this.” He said desperately “Your cocky grin, and how you kiss and your smell.”

Mike must have thought he was only trying to be romantic, because all he did was smile, and didn’t even grasp the desperation in Harvey’s words.

“You smell like rain and peanut butter.” Harvey said on a laugh, and Mike smiled as well as leaned in to kiss Harvey again. Then there was a familiar sound that Harvey really didn’t want to hear, the beeping of his recorder telling him it was full.

“What’s that?” Mike asked, clearly confused.

“Nothing.” Harvey tried to brush it off, this wasn’t how this was supposed to go at all. Mike didn’t let him get away with it though, as he pretty much pulled Harvey to his feet and fished the recording pen out of his pocket.

“What?” Was all Mike seemed to be able to ask.

“Mike, listen…”

“You’re recording us.” Mike stated “Have you done this every time we’ve been together?” He was starting to sound both worried and freaked out and Harvey just wanted him to shut up and let him explain, even though he was well aware of how bad the situation looked. “Is this for the internet or something?” Mike asked, taking two steps away from Harvey “Are you filming us too, are there cameras here?” he asked, looking around himself like he was waiting for someone to jump out and grab him.

“No, of course not.” Harvey tried to sound soothing, but it just ended up as desperate as before. Mike hurried to grab his jacket and Harvey really tried to stop him, but he couldn’t exactly grab the man in the current situation. “

“I have to go!” Mike said.

“Mike, it’s not what you think, I lose you every morning!” He said and Mike just looked at him like he was insane.

“Just stop!” Mike said, trying to push himself past Harvey.

“My brain doesn’t work!” Harvey tried so hard to make him understand, but Mike was just telling him to stop over and over again, making it impossible for him to explain.

“I should have listened to Trevor, shit!” Mike said and ran out the door, Harvey unable to do anything but stare into blank space. He had screwed up everything. Why hadn’t he told him before? Now he was going to lose him forever. No, that was not going to happen. He was not going to let Mike walk out of his life like that, he was not ready to lose another thing that he cared about. So he grabbed his jacket and ran after Mike.

It was still pouring buckets when he burst through the front door, his eyes searching frantically for Mike as he saw him round the corner. He sprinted after him, not caring about anything else. When he finally caught up with the man he reached out.

“Mike, please-“

But the man who turned to face him wasn’t Mike.

“Oh, sorry.” Harvey said, the guy just shrugged and ducked into an apartment building. He looked around, and couldn’t see Mike anywhere. Shit, he had fucked up. So he did the only thing he could think of and called Marcus.

It was still weird to him how Marcus was the one holding his life together at the moment when all he could remember was how he had helped his little brother out of every possible situation while growing up. Everything was turned upside down and Harvey couldn’t stand it. And then there was Mike, wonderful Mike who had been exactly what Harvey had needed and he had lost him.

Marcus of course tried to keep him calm and just say that everyone had stuff they struggled with, but Harvey just wanted to pull his own hair out in frustration. “I don’t know where I am when I wake up in the morning!” Harvey shouted “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, I don’t work where I used to, I don’t know the neighbors that greet me!” He started rambling then about how he needed to write down every single person that was supposed to matter, who he had met, who he trusted, who he didn’t trust and how it was never going to change. Marcus looked at him for a moment.

“Just breathe and take it one day at a time.”

“Marcus.” Harvey said “Is it possible to fall in love with someone every day?”

“Oh jeez, big brother.” Marcus replied with a small smile “Isn’t that what we all wish for?”

“It’s over.”

**

Mike had had the worst night ever, and honestly, he’d had some terrible nights during his life. When he had come to work though, he had put on a brave face and a smile for Jenny, who had not been in a good mood herself. Mike was a little worried about that since she always had time to put on a welcoming grin whenever Mike showed up early for work. Turned out she had gotten a letter in the mail, about garnishment, which meant that the government had taken a cut of Mike’s paycheck before he had gotten it because of student loans. Mike had almost started to cry there and then, how was he supposed to live without his salary? He couldn’t work and try to go to school.

Jenny had put a comforting arm around him and handed him four hundred dollars. Mike had held up a hand and told her it was too much. She just gave him a comforting smile. Then Mike had taken the money and cried on her shoulder. He just felt like everything was falling apart. He'd lost his parents, his grandmother... Harvey. How was he supposed to get past this?

**

Harvey couldn’t believe the way his day was going. First he had woken up to find out that he had fucked up everything with Mike the night before, just to get a call to Katrina’s office. She was moving back to New York and was basically telling him that they shouldn’t renew their contract, leaving Harvey without a publisher.

At first he wanted to argue her on that, knowing full well that she couldn’t just let him go with the current contract they had agreed on, but instead he just wished her good luck and went back home.

**

“Get the god damn actual attorney for my case, not the paralegal.” Mike said into the phone “It’s been a year and I am _dying_ here, I need the money, please make him call me back.” Just as he hung up, someone was leaving a message on the answering machine. Mike stood by, hoping it was some good news.

“Mike, it’s Harvey, I-“ He quickly picked up the phone.

“Don’t call me again.” Mike said “Forget you ever met me.”

Then he hung up.

Harvey bit his lip, the phone still lingering in his hand, because this was the one thing he couldn’t forget.

Mike was too upset to even acknowledge the teacher during his lecture; even as he handed out the papers they had been working on at the end of class.

“Shouldn’t you check your grade?” he asked and Mike just shook his head.

“Doesn’t matter, I have to drop out so.” He answered, feeling his hands starting to shake as the words escaped his mouth.

“Not a lot of people who are lucky enough to get in here considers that an option, so i'm sorry to hear that.” He said “It was an H, by the way.”

Mike looked down to see the _honors_ written in red pen. “

You can do this, Michael.” The professor said “You have so much potential and I finally get to see all of it and the work you’ve put into it, you really should consider staying.”

“Thank you.” Was all Mike was able to say.

 

**

When Harvey had gotten home after a terrible coffee date with Donna, he opened the door to find his apartment full of water, and his laptop ruined and all his notes soaking wet. Jenny had fallen asleep upstairs while running a bath. His apartment was flooded. His system was ruined. Everything was going to shit. He missed Mike.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I screw up the grading system at Harvard Law? I just googled it.


	7. Wake Up, It's Time

It took a couple of weeks, but Mike was starting to feel better about the whole Harvey situation. At least that was what he told himself each night when he stayed awake thinking about it. He often wondered if he should have given him a chance, but what kind of explanation could he possible give to make it all right to spy on someone like that?

His head wasn’t really in it when he signed for the letter, not really thinking about what it could be before he read the envelope.

“Shit, man.” Trevor said “You really got it.”

“Almost three-hundred thousand.” Mike said “Shit, I never knew she saved up this much.”

“Most of it was probably the sale’s money from the house.” Trevor suggested “So what are you doing to do now?”

Mike smiled “It’s enough to build a life; I can go back to school.”

“Good thing you haven’t officially dropped out yet.” Trevor said “And also a good thing that you don’t have to go to any classes to remember that shit.”

“I’m going to pay off my loans, and put money away for when we go back to New York.” Mike said with a smile, “That includes what I owe you too.”

“When _you_ go back to New York.” Trevor corrected him, and Mike looked at him in surprise. “I’m staying here with Jenny, might take her with me back someday, but we all know a change of scenery has been nothing but good for me.”

Mike nodded “Let’s not think about that just yet, okay?”

“Making you sad, Mikey?” Trevor teased and Mike punched him in the arm.

“I’m going to look for my own place too.” Mike said “Or maybe look for a dorm at campus, I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to do that, Mike.”

“You should ask Jenny to move in.”

Trevor didn’t answer that one and Mike snickered. “Hey, who’s _**Pearson and Hardman**_ anyway?” Trevor asked as he looked through the documents splayed across the table.

Mike bit his lip “They took over my case.”

“Why?” Trevor asked.

“I don’t know.” Mike said, and truth be told he hadn’t even thought about it at first when they had first called him to let him know. He’d just thought it had been some other way to delay the process, but here he was. “Harvey used to work there.”

Trevor just looked at him for the longest time then before slapping Mike across the chest “dude.”

“I know.” Mike said, fully aware what he had to do, without Trevor having to take the moral high ground on this one.

 

The door to Harvey’s place was already open, which kind of freaked Mike out a little bit, but he knocked it once and went inside, only to see a redhead packing some boxes.

“Hello.” Mike said and the woman nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Hey!” Donna said, before taking in the person standing in front of her “You’re Mike right?”

Mike could faintly remember walking into the woman outside of Harvey’s apartment once before. Oh god, was this his girlfriend? If that was the case, why did she know Mike? Was this some kinky shit?

“Yeah.” Mike answered, a little unsure what to say to her.

“I’m Donna.” She said and shook his hand “Harvey’s friend, well, friend and assistant.”

“What happened?” Mike asked, taking in the state of the apartment.

“Long story.” Was all Donna answered.

“Oh.” Mike said, before he fished the draft he had read over out from his messenger back “I was actually just here to return something.” He said and gave it to Donna “And to tell him I’m moving.”

Donna gave him a stern look before saying: “He’s in the hospital for observation.”

Mike just stood there and looked at her, almost annoyed with himself about how worried he felt. “What?”

Mike didn’t know how many times he repeated that question during his long conversation with Donna as he looked through the file on Harvey’s medical condition. He felt so bad that he was sure he was going to throw up. Especially after Donna told him about how his system had been ruined because of the water damage, luckily, some of it was salvageable and Donna and Marcus both had copies of his most important notes.

“He tried to tell me.” Mike said and buried his face in his hands “I am such an asshole; he had to re-learn who I was every single day?”

Donna nodded, and clearly, she agreed with Mike that he was an asshole; Mike kind of liked her anyway.

“He lost everything.” Donna said “You should have seen him back in the day, he was an amazing lawyer.”

Mike nodded, wishing he could have met that Harvey Specter too.

“The worst part of it for him has been relearning every day that the firm lost the Jackson case after he had to leave.” Donna said, “At least it was until he met you.”

Mike was not sure if that was a compliment or not, it meant that he knew a lot to Harvey, but the fact that he also caused him so much pain on a regular basis.

“I found this in the trashcan this morning.” Donna said and handed Mike a red file, a part of him already had an idea of what was in there since Donna decided to show him.

Opening it up, the first thing he noticed was the menu for Jenny’s, then the card that Mike had sent him and a small list of Mike’s favorites, like his favorite ice cream flavor or place to read.

Mike barely had a chance to open his mouth to speak before Donna offered him a ride to the hospital.

 

The nice nurse who had offered Harvey some pudding at the hospital looked at him with a fond smile as he also handed him a present that he had been told to give Harvey.

Opening it up with a frown, Harvey found a recording pen and a note that said _press play._

Not knowing what else to do, he did as the note told him.

_Hi, Harvey. It’s me, Mike. You don’t remember me, but I’m your boyfriend, at least I was until I fucked everything up with this misunderstand- shit, I shouldn’t have said that, can I try again?_

_It’s fine, just go on._

Harvey was a little taken back by Donna’s familiar voice.

_Okay, anyway. I hope we can try again because I am really falling for you and I think you’re in love with me too._

“That’s me.”

Harvey looked up to see a blonde man with jeans and a white t-shirt standing in the doorway of his room. “On the recording.”

“Oh.” Was all Harvey could say. “Hi, Mike from the recorder.”

“Hi.” Mike said as he sat down on the chair next to Harvey and offered the man a smile.

“So, two things.” Harvey said and Mike gave him a nod. “One, that was the worst recording, like ever.”

“It wasn’t that bad!”

“In the history of recordings, that tops the list as the worst one.” Harvey said “Sorry.”

Mike shrugged “Oh well.”

“Second, I’m really sorry, but… I don’t think I know you.” Harvey said “Or, I don’t remember you.”

“Maybe you do.” Mike said and handed Harvey the file the man had kept on him, with notes, menus, lists and a few photos. Mike didn’t say anything as Harvey silently looked through it, his expression changing every now and then.

“I made this?” Harvey asked and Mike nodded.

“Yeah.” Mike answered at once “So that even though you can’t remember, we can still hold on to these things and move forward.”

“To build something.” Harvey stated, and Mike nodded again with a small smile on his lips.

“So I’m gonna tell you something.” Mike said “Some of it you already know, sort of, and some of it are things I’ve just now realized.”

“Okay.”

“I’ve spent a lot of my life waiting for things to happen.” Mike said, keeping eye contact with Harvey the entire time “I’ve been a mess actually, and I have blamed other people for my problems, even though it wasn’t fair or right, but it’s my life and I’m ready to take control over it.”

“Good.” Was all Harvey said. There was something about this man that made him want to listen to him, he had this calmness over him, even though he seemed like a complete train wreck.

“And I want to do that with you.” Mike finished.

Harvey blinked a couple of times, not really sure what to say. It was difficult to put into words how he felt, since in his head, he only met this person a few minutes ago.

“I can’t ask you to do that.” Harvey said “All I’ve ever have is today, and a bunch of yesterdays from a long time ago.”

“You’ll also have me.” Mike said, without missing a beat. He was so confident in that answer, like of course Harvey wouldn’t just be defined by his past and a broken memory if he also had Mike by his side. How was Harvey supposed to say no to that?

“Lean in a bit.” Harvey said and Mike’s eyebrows rose in confusion.

“Did it not record?” He asked, looking at the recorder in Harvey’s pen. Harvey shook his head.

“It’s not that, just-“ So Mike did was he was told and leaned closer to Harvey, who put both hands on the side of Mike’s face, feeling the slight stubble, but otherwise smooth skin. He rested his forehead on Mike’s and breathed in.

He smelled like peanut butter.

“Now…” Harvey whispered “How could I forget that?”

Mike smiled.

“Hi, Mike.”

“Hi there.”

The next couple of weeks were borderline normal for Mike, it had taken surprisingly little time to get used to the fact that if you called your boyfriend too early in the morning, he might not have had the chance to read his file and actually remembering who you are. Mike had dealt with weirder things in his life, which really said something about his character.

Because Mike was built in a certain way, he couldn’t help but research Harvey’s disease and other people suffering from similar conditions. On Friday he had scheduled to have dinner with Harvey, double checking to make sure Harvey had it in his notes before coming over was also something he was getting used to.

“I have some exciting news.” He told Harvey, who put down his wine glass and gave him his full attention. Mike was sort of liking the way Harvey seemed to study his every move every time they met, as if they were having their first date over and over again.

“What?” Harvey asked, and Mike pulled out a file from his messenger bag.

“I did some research on your condition.” Mike said “You assured me it was cool.”

Harvey nodded “You probably would have done it anyway, so.”

Mike smiled. It amazed him how Harvey knew these little details about him even though, to him, they didn’t have any memories together.

“Anyway, there’s this new laser surgery.” Mike said and showed Harvey all the information he’d gathered of the internet. “It’s still on a trial basis, but it has a really high risk of success so far.”

Harvey studied the file for a second before looking up at meeting Mike’s eyes. “This brain looks a lot like mine.” He said and pointed to the scan in one of the articles. Mike nodded.

“Yes, and here’s a picture of the same brain after the surgery.” Mike said and showed him that scan as well. The result was breathtaking.

“Listen, Harvey…” Mike said, noticing how Harvey seemed to be a little overwhelmed “This is totally your decision, but if you want to do it, I am behind you one hundred percent.”

Harvey smiled “There’s nothing in the world I want more than to be healthy again.”

“Before you decide, I want you to take a little trip with me.” Mike said, biting his bottom lip in anticipation like a little kid.

“A trip?” Harvey asked, clearly curious.

“Yes, I want to take you away somewhere where we can talk about it some more.” Mike said “This Sunday, I’ve already arranged everything.”

Harvey grinned “How can I say no to that?”

“Harvey.” Mike said and took Harvey’s hand in his before getting a permanent marker and opening Harvey’s palm. “Remember Sunday.” He said, writing the same words in the palm of his hand.

“I will.”


	8. Wake Up

Harvey was standing outside of his apartment building, waiting for Mike when a black car pulled up in front of him. Peeking through the window without looking like a freak, he tried to see if the man inside was the same guy he’d seen on the picture on his dresser that morning.

“Mike?” he asked, and the guy rolled down the window and grinned at him.

“Hey stranger!” He said and leaned back against his seat “Yeah, it’s me, jump in!”

Harvey did as he was told, and for a moment he just looked Mike up and down to get a feel about him. He had a feeling he did that a lot, because Mike only smiled at him until Harvey met his eyes again.

“Hi.” He said “So where are you taking me?”

Harvey was at a loss of words then, and only stammered, “Wh-, my notes said that you were-“

“No, no.” Mike said on a laugh and handed Harvey two plane tickets to New York.

“We’re going to New York?” He asked and Mike nodded.

“I think your New York experience was very different from mine.” Mike replied “I want to see what you remember.” He said and Harvey couldn’t help but be extremely nervous. This was not what he was expecting when he woke up that morning, but before he could say anything, Mike put the car in gear and they were on their way to the airport.

The plane ride was actually very nice, Mike could sense how nervous Harvey was being and was holding his hand and telling him ridiculous stories about all the trouble he used to get in back in Brooklyn.

Time was flying by to fast, the traffic was moving in a steady speed and suddenly he was standing outside of the building of his old workplace. _Pearson and Hardman_ was right in front of him and he didn’t know what to feel about that.

“So this is it.” Mike said and Harvey nodded “I’ve never been to this neighborhood before, a little too high-end for me.”

Harvey smiled, but almost panicked when Mike started moving towards the entrance. He quickly grabbed his arm to make him stop. “I can’t go in there.” He said firmly.

“Why not?” Mike asked, and looked over his shoulder to the entrance again before looking back to his boyfriend. “It’s right there.”

“I know, can we please just go back to the hotel?” Harvey asked, feeling a little desperate, he’d been so distracted with his own thoughts that he had barely registered them checking in and putting their luggage away before heading back out.

“I thought you wanted to see this.” Mike said, and he sounded so confused, but Harvey hadn’t asked for any of this.

“I don’t need that.” Harvey said “I see it every morning when I wake up, Mike.” He said “And again before falling asleep and every damn time I think about what my life used to be or how it could have turned out!”

“Harvey…”

“I had a career here, I had friends here and everything was ripped from me and now I’m alone!” Harvey shouted, not caring about people listening in, no one seemed to care about that in the city, they would just walk on by and continue with their day.

He knew that wasn’t true. He had his brother. He had Donna. But what did it even matter? They were a part of his old life and he’d never get a new one.

“You’re not alone anymore.” Mike said and placed his hand on Harvey’s arm and squeezed gently.

“I was in there when it happened.” Harvey said “It’s the last thing I remember.”

Mike nodded “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” He said “But listen to me, please, if this is going to work out, then I need you to talk to me and tell me these kinds of things.”

Harvey didn’t know Mike the way he wished he could, but he knew that it was impossible for him to let the other man down in any way. Not if he could help it.

“Please, just give me the tour.” Mike said and grabbed Harvey’s hand.

“Please don’t make me.”

“Okay.” Mike replied “I’ll see it by myself then.” He said, and he didn’t seem hurt or angry which just made Harvey feel even worse. Mike was just _understanding_. He didn’t pressure, didn’t get upset, he was just right there when Harvey needed him, but so independent and strong. It wasn’t fair.

It didn’t take a lot of convincing from himself before he followed Mike inside, earning himself a huge smile and a kiss on the side of his neck from Mike.

Surprisingly they didn’t have any issues with security or going from floor to floor, no one seemed to care or notice. It was getting late so there wasn’t many people still working, except for a few thriving young associates, they didn’t bump in to a lot of people. Maybe they were mistaken for pro-bono clients or something.

Mike was completely fascinated by everything, from the bullpen area where Harvey told stories about his work as an associate, to the library where Mike grinned and pointed at Harvey whenever he found one of his books in one of the shelves. He hesitated when he pressed the elevator button up to the floor where his office had used to be. When the doors opened and they stepped out, Harvey kept a steady hand on the small of Mike’s back and hoped that since he was in his jeans and sweater, and he had a week-old beard, that no one would notice or recognize him.

That wasn’t the case though, before he knew what was happening, Jessica and Louis was right in front of them, pretty much blocking their way. Neither of them seemed surprised to see him.

“Welcome back, Harvey.” Jessica said and Harvey just stood there with his mouth open for a minute before looking to Mike, who was smiling at him. Of course that little bastard had called ahead. Harvey wasn’t sure whether he wanted to kiss him or punch him.

“What’s going on?” Harvey asked, and Louis couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot, which made him feel uncomfortable.

“There’s someone who wants to meet you.” Jessica said and Harvey looked to Mike again who just shrugged, and pretended he didn’t know what they were talking about, but Harvey saw right through that bullshit. Since he was still in a state of shock of sorts, he just followed his old boss, and colleague through the halls and into the conference room. He only briefly looked over his shoulder to try to see who had taken over his old office, he couldn’t see though.

Someone was waiting in the conference room, someone Harvey had never been able to forget.

“Hello, Harvey.” He said with a dashing grin, and reached his hand out.

“Jackson.” He couldn’t really believe it. Jackson Keller was standing right there in front of him. He was clean-shaven and wearing a suit, and a smile that Harvey hadn’t never seen before.

He shook the hand and looked to Mike and then to Jessica. “What the hell?” was all he could ask and Jackson laughed.

“I’m out, man.” He said “Jessica fought for me at my second trial.”

“You had another trial coming up?” He asked, how come he hadn’t written that down anywhere? How could he have missed that?

“The press-manager of the prison kept it very hush-hush.” Jackson said “They didn’t want any protestors, and everyone thought it was no-good anyhow.”

Harvey fought the urge to correct his grammar, he knew that wasn’t really what was important right now. Jackson was out.

“How?” he asked. He couldn’t even believe he’d gotten another trial with all that evidence against him.

“Thanks to you.” Jackson said “At least, that’s what Jessica’s been telling me.”

Harvey didn’t understand anything of what was happening, he felt like he was going to pass out or have a heart attack any second. This wasn’t like him. He never got like this over a case. Except it wasn’t just a case. It was _the_ case.

“Mike sent us all your notes.” Jessica said “Everything you’d highlighted, everything the jury didn’t take into consideration, the later forensic evidence.”

“But…” Harvey said “That wasn’t enough for a new verdict, or else I would have sent it ages ago.”

“Wonder-kid here fixed that.” Louis said and pointed to Mike.

“No, I just…” Mike said “I was just able to put it all together and see the little things you’d missed or wasn’t able to see because your… inexperience with the more current precedent.”

“So he sent it to me and asked me to look at it.” Jessica said “Louis and I worked day and night trying to finish this thing.”

“I can’t believe it.” Harvey said “You never even believed me.”

Jackson looked accusingly at Jessica, before he started laughing again, it seemed like the kid couldn’t stop smiling.

“I believed _in_ you.” Jessica replied “Always have.”

Harvey didn’t know what to say “When did you get out?” He asked and Jackson took a step forward.

“A couple of days ago.” Jackson said “I’ve got a press conference tomorrow morning.”

He looked to Mike “Is that why you-?”

“Yeah, you can thank me later.”

And he would. He definitely would.

“Thank you, Harvey.” Jackson said, his expression more serious now “Thank you for believing in me when no one else did.”

“Hey.” Harvey said “You too.” Because even though his case seemed hopeless, Jackson had always believed Harvey would get him out of there.

Jackson hugged him then and Harvey felt like it was the biggest win ever. It was something along the lines of closure, a new beginning and a happy ending all at once.

“Thank you.” He mouthed to Jessica and Louis, who just stood there, looking proud. If it was of Harvey or themselves, he didn’t know.

They talked for a long time, eventually Jackson had to go to meet his mother who texted him every five minute wondering if he’d be home soon. “She’s barely let me out of her sight since I got out.” Jackson had told them, and Harvey thought that was just wonderful.

Louis and Jessica had stayed long after everyone else had gone home, and Mike had laughed and clapped his hands at the stories of how Harvey had been when he had first started working there and listened in fascination whenever an interesting case was the topic. He also formally thanked Louis, who had been the one who had handled Mike’s case.

Jessica had to finish up some paperwork and Louis needed to call it a night, but Mike and Harvey had stayed behind and wandered around. Mike taking it all in and asking all kinds of questions about his life as a lawyer, his first case, his relationship with Jessica and Louis, how he had met Donna, and everything in between.

“Harvey?” Jessica suddenly appeared behind them while they were standing in the middle of Harvey’s old office. Zoe Lawford had taken over. Harvey had always liked her.

“Yes?” Harvey replied as he turned around. It was just like old times.

“I just have few questions, do you mind?” She asked and Harvey looked to Mike for some sort of confirmation that it was okay.

“You go ahead.” Mike said “I’m going to wait downstairs.”

“Okay.” Harvey said and gave Mike a quick kiss on the cheek before disappearing with his former boss. Mike wondered if this was how it had used to be. He made his way over to the elevator and pushed the button. Jessica had almost offered him a job offer for when he finished Harvard. He wasn’t sure if he was going to take it though. He never thought of himself as the guy who would let his decisions about the future depend on someone he was dating, but everything was different with Harvey. He felt it with every fiber of his being.

The elevator pinged and when he stepped out he almost crashed into another person.

“Oh, sorry.” He said and raised his arms in some kind of defense, realizing how stupid he must have looked, he quickly tucked them against his sides.

“It’s alright.” She said “Didn’t think anyone would be here this late.”

“Right.” He said “I’m Mike Ross, I was just…”

“Mike?” She asked and looked him up and down. Mike couldn’t help but study her as well. She was quite beautiful, with long dark hair and a killer body. “You’re Harvey’s friend, right?”

Mike nodded “Yes, I’m sorry, I’m not sure I know who you are though.”

“Sorry” She said and reached out her hand “I’m Dana Scott.”

“Hi.” Mike answered, shaking her hand, he still had no idea who she was. “Harvey is upstairs with Jessica if you wanted to say hello.”

“To be honest I knew he was coming tonight so I kind of stayed away.” She said “I forgot some important papers, I didn’t know you would still be here.”

“Why would you stay away?” Mike asked, was there some bad blood between the two of them or something. He knew that Harvey used to get in all sort of fights with Louis, but he had still showed up and been a friend today.

“My friends call me Scottie.” She said “Has he mentioned me?”

Mike shook his head “Sorry.”

“Oh.” She said “Well, we worked here together and we were engaged.”

Okay, what? That was some brand new information and after everything he had learned about Harvey today, it was also the most shocking. Harvey hadn’t seemed like the marrying kind. Mike just stood there for a moment. He hadn’t even known that Harvey had liked women as well. Had ever told him? No, Mike couldn’t recall. He remembered accusing the man of being straight, with a wife and kids though, but that had hardly been the time to have that conversation.

“I figured it had to have been someone… Before.” Mike said “Sorry, I- What happened?”

It wasn’t his place to ask, but Scottie had pretty much put the question out there. Besides, she seemed nice enough.

“I tried.” She said “After the aneurism, I really did.”

Mike didn’t know what to say to that.

“My career is extremely important to me, and I worked a lot in London at the time.” She said “Then his brother brought him to Boston, and I wanted to go with him, but I just couldn’t.”

“You left him.” It was meant to be said as a question, but it was stated as a fact and Mike couldn’t help but feel a little protective over Harvey at the moment.

“Not because of him…” She said “It’s complicated.”

Of couse it was. They parted awkwardly, both agreeing not to tell Harvey that they had met. Mike thought a lot about what she had said. Her career was important to her, she moved a lot back and forth, he wouldn’t remember which days she would be there and which days she would be gone.

Harvey found him standing outside, trying to breathe in some fresh air. He was cold and shivering, even though it was fairly warm out.

“Are you okay?” Harvey asked “I thought you were waiting inside.” He said and Mike nodded, putting his hands in his pockets.

“Just… Do you expect to be here every morning?” Mike asked “With your job and your friends?”

_With your fiancé?_

Harvey looked at him for a moment before answering “I’m not really sure of everything when I wake up in the morning.” He said “Mike… I want to try the surgery.”

“Really?” Mike asked, sensing a feeling of hope building inside of his chest, like a balloon being blown up and was ready to burst any second “That’s amazing, we can-“

“Mike.” Harvey interrupted him “You need to promise me something.”

“What?”

“If the surgery doesn’t work.” He said and swallowed “I need you to forget about me, just erase me from your life.”

“What?” Mike asked again, not sure he was hearing this right “No.”

“Listen.” Harvey said “Everything seems so right when I’m with you, but this is not fair to you and you remember so much more.”

But Harvey was everything Mike had ever hoped for.

“I won’t do it if you don’t promise me.” Harvey said, and because Harvey needed to hear it and a part of Mike probably needed to say it, he did, he promised. Harvey put his arms around him and held on, Mike wasn’t sure if he ever would be able to let him go.


	9. Just Rememer Who I Am...

On their way back to Boston, Mike couldn't help but feel both giddy and nauseated with anticipation. Too many times in his life had he gotten his hopes up only to be let down again, so he really tried not to think about the outcome of the surgery too much. Next to him, Harvey seemed calm, but Mike saw right through that. He was probably even more nervous than Mike was. This was his life after all. No, screw that. This was _their_ life. It just had to work out, because Mike had given Harvey a promise he wasn't sure he could keep.

Donna greeted them outside of their apartment, carrying a box with an old keyboard on top.

"Hey." Harvey said "Sorry, did we have an appointment?"

"No." She answered with a smile "Just thought I'd update your computer system while you were out of town, Marcus stopped by and helped me earlier."

Mike had to smile at the grin that appeared on Harvey's face. Finally he'd get his old system back, and things would be somewhat easier for him to grasp every morning. Thing seemed to be looking up recently.

"Do you mind?" Donna asked, and gestured to the box in her hand and Harvey shook his head and took it out of her hands. She put her car keys on top and pointed down the street. "The blue one around the corner."

"Sure, be right back." Harvey had told them, before walking off. Mike just stood there, he was kind of excited to see what Donna had to say about the upcoming surgery. He knew Harvey had told her and that the man valued no one's opinion more than hers.

"How was your trip?" Donna asked.

"It was amazing." Mike replied "You should have seen his face." 

Donna nodded, and offered him a small smile and it took Mike a while to realize that the reason she was acting weird might be because she should have been there. She should have seen his face. Donna had been the one at his side when they had worked the case, not Mike.

"Shit, Donna." He said "I'm sorry, I should have invited you along, no, I should have dragged you with me."

"It's fine, Mike." She said, and there was just something in her voice that made him believe her. "But this surgery..."

"I know it's kinda risky." Mike said at once, wanting to reassure her "But it's this new procedure and the success rate is high with-"

"I've heard about the procedure and it's not that new." Donna said "Harvey had the surgery two years ago."

Mike just stood there, completely shocked as he tried to grasp what Donna was telling him. It felt like one of those stupid movie moments, when everything was going good, something had to come an ruin everything. The difference was that in the movies, that was only for dramatic effect before the happy ending. Mike's happy ending was just ripped away from him.

"It didn't work, Mike." Donna said "You can't change him."

"I love him." Mike answered, like Donna had just accused him of something awful.

"I believe that." Donna said "But if you really want to be with him then you have to accept that he might not get any better.

She offered him a comforting smile before walking off after Harvey while Mike was left behind, feeling like he was going to have a heart attack. Suddenly Harvey was right there asking him if he was okay, and all he could do was nod and smile as Harvey led them both inside. Mike was still not seeing straight when a young girl was suddenly telling Harvey he owed her money while what Mike assumed was her mother told Harvey that the girl was lying.

"Okay?" Harvey asked.

"Sorry, we live upstairs." She said "I'm Jenny,  this is my niece, she does _not_ owe you money."

"Okay then." Harvey replied, as Jenny pushed her niece through the doors, hissing at her and telling her not to ever do that again. Mike had the feeling it had happened before, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. He was suddenly hit with a giant realization that this was how his life would be like. Reminding Harvey that his neighbor didn't owe him money everyday, having to remember if Donna was stopping by that day, in case Harvey had forgot to write it up somewhere.

Harvey put a hand on the small of his back and they went upstairs. They had dinner and drank red wine, and Harvey praised Mike for everything he had done for him regarding the case, and asked a few questions about the surgery. Mike only nodded and kept his answers short, trying not to give away how he was actually feeling. Which was completely terrified.

When Harvey went to do the dishes, Mike wandered around the apartment. Harvey had put another framed picture of them next to his new lap top, with a note telling him how to make the best scrambled eggs. Mike smiled.

On the computer there was a list, like always, of the things he had to remember to do the next day.

_Jog, water bottle, breakfast._

_Smile at strangers_

_Ask Mike to marry me_

Mike couldn't breathe then. He had to read it over and over again to make sure he had read it correctly. Harvey was going to propose to him. Before he even knew what he was doing, he glanced over to where Harvey was concentrating on drying off the wine glasses, before he leaned over and erased the last sentence from the list. 

He didn't know why he had done it. If it was the promise he'd made to Harvey or his own numbing fear, but it had been like something had taken over his hands and decided his faith for him. Everything seemed surreal.

When Harvey awoke the next morning to an apartment he didn't know and read a file his brother and Donna had put together for him, he had sighed heavily when he had sat down at the computer and clicked on his 'to-do' document.

_Jog, water bottle, breakfast_

_Smile at strangers._

_You do not owe the little girl upstairs 10 $._

There had been no mention of any Mike in his file, and no framed picture of them on his dresser or his desk.   
He had done what the list had told him and gone for a jog through the park, it felt really good and he guessed that he was still good at keeping himself in shape. Suddenly Marcus had been beside him, running alongside him.

"Marcus?" He'd asked.

"We've been doing this for six weeks." Marcus answered "Please put it in your damn file."

"You look good." Harvey said, trying not to show how good it felt to see a familiar face.

"I've met someone." He said "I'd like to stay in shape."

"You and Sophia broke up?" Harvey asked, and Marcus turned his face and looked at him with such intensity that Harvey couldn't help but crack up. "Sorry, I know, it was in my notes"

"Asshole."

"So who is it?" Harvey asked.

"Don't get pissed off or overprotective or anything." He said "I'm a good guy and we're happy."

"I know you're a good guy, what-"

"It's Donna." Marcus said before sprinting away, leaving Harvey behind to grasp the news.

"Wha-" Harvey said before he let it all sink in "Hey, get back here, you little shit!" He said and ran after him.

 

**

Later that week, Harvey got a phone call from Katrina, which he remembered reading was his old publicist. She praised him for how well his newest book was selling and encouraged him to write a book about Jackson's case. She'd already contacted him, and Jackson had been on board to give Harvey the rights. Harvey longed for his old life enough to know that he shouldn't give up an opportunity like that, where he could revisit that part of his life even though a small voice kept telling him that maybe it was time to let it go. How could he let it go though? For him, it had only happened yesterday.

A couple of days later, he had decided to clean up the apartment and organize his old notes. It wasn't like he had decided it there and then, his notes had told him to do so. He sighed at the thought. Suddenly he found an envelope in one of his drawers.

_Save for Mike_

Who the hell was Mike? Harvey scratched the back of his head, and made a mental note to check his notes and his file one more time before going to sleep, to see if he recognized the name anywhere.  
If it wasn't mentioned anywhere, then it couldn't be that important. Just to be safe, he put the envelope in his briefcase in case it was something work-related.

**

 

Mike graduated Harvard with only two people attending; Trevor and Jenny. He didn't know why he kept scanning the crowd for a face he knew he wouldn't see. Trevor and Jenny had hugged him, congratulated him and taken him out for drinks. It was the proudest moment of his life, and everything Mike had worked for was finally paying off. He could get a job, help people, make some real money. Trevor and Jenny would probably get married soon, have babies. Everything was looking so bright, but Mike still felt a sting in his heart like something crucial was missing.

He knew what it was, but he had no idea what to do about it.

 

**

 

Harvey had just sat down with a cup of coffee and was ready to start writing, when he realized that there was something missing. He was sitting in the same coffee-shop that his notes suggested he used to write in. He understood what it was he liked about it. It was quiet, but also vibrant enough that he'd get bored and uninspired. The coffee was amazing, and it was withing walking distance of his apartment. There was just something about the ending of the case that felt wrong, his notes didn't add up and he couldn't figure out for the hell of him what had made him crack the case in the end. Maybe he should give Jessica a call and ask her.

Then someone was standing next to him, and Harvey looked up to see a pair of blue eyes looking back at him. He looked kind of lost, but also like he'd found exactly what he had been looking for.

"Can I help you?" he asked, trying to sound polite, but failing since he was on a deadline and couldn't figure out his own notes, or actually _remember_ how he had felt when he'd seen Jackson again, something Katrina had said would be a crucial part of the book.

"I'm Mike." The guy answered, and Harvey just looked at him for a moment. Did he know the guy, was that why he was standing there looking like an idiot?

"Sorry, I'm just really busy-" he said, but then it hit him where he'd seen the name before. "Wait, did you say Mike?"

His eyes lit up with something unexpected then "Yes, why?"

"I know that name."

"You do?" He asked, looking like he was ready to bounce up and down. Harvey just eyes him suspiciously once before nodding.

"Yeah, please sit down." he said and gestured to the seat in front of him. Mike did as he was told and sat down, his legs pretty much vibrated and he started playing with the packs of sugar on the table. Harvey then dug into his briefcase and pulled out the envelope. Eying it once more before handing it to Mike "This is yours, right?"

"What?" Mike asked, and Harvey sighed and opened the envelope and wondering if he'd done that before. He emptied the content in the palm of his hands, and Mike gasped when he saw what it was.

"Wedding rings." Harvey said, and holding them up "Quite nice too."

"They were my parents'." Mike said, his lips quivering slightly. Harvey wondered how long it had been since he'd seen the rings, or why Harvey had been the one hanging onto them. "You bought them back for me?"

Harvey didn't know how to respond to that. Had he bought these for Mike? Why would he do that? He didn't even know the man. "I'm sorry, I don't-"

"No, it's okay." Mike said "It's okay." It was too overwhelming to see Harvey again, knowing he'd gotten the rings back for him and saved them all this time, probably not knowing why. Harvey had wanted to marry him, and here he was in front of him holding his parents' wedding bands in the palm of his hand. Suddenly he felt himself crying and he was sniffing and trying his best not to break down, but Harvey was right there and he just wanted to hold him, but he couldn't and it ripped him apart.

"Hey, don't cry." Harvey said, he was trying to be comforting, but obviously seemed very confused "Those are happy tears right?"

Mike nodded "Thank you."

Harvey smiled and handed him the rings, and Mike felt a tightening in his chest as his fingers brushed against Harvey's.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"It's just..." Mike said "Sometimes people think they are lost, but then they realize there's still one person left fighting for them and it turns out they were never lost..."

Harvey looked into his eyes then and he knew what he was talking about, it was something that he had told Jackson one time too. He knew this guy, this Mike. He couldn't explain it, but he knew that he knew this man. "They're found." He said and Mike laughed the most beautiful laugh Harvey had ever heard.

"Yeah." Mike answered, and then Harvey could feel tears prickling in his eyes. How did he know Mike? How did Mike know him? And most importantly, why was he feeling this way right now?

"How did you know that?" Harvey asked "I mean, have we met? Do I know you?"

Mike sniffed again "How about you put away that lap top and buy me a coffee?"

"Yeah." Harvey said and then shook his head "No, I am so sorry, I need to send in this draft by six tonight."

Mike nodded and grinned at him "I can wait." He said " _Remember_ this, Harvey, I can wait."

"Okay." He replied "I will."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	10. ... In The Morning

Harvey awoke abruptly to the most annoying voice blaring through his alarm clock. He couldn’t remember setting his alarm, and he certainly would never have the damn radio wake him up.

“Good morning, Boston!”

Wait, did he just say Boston? His eyes flew open as he reached out and turned off the alarm clock. That was not his alarm, and he was certainly not in his apartment. He then noticed a file on his nightstand.

_Read me every morning!_

What the hell was going on? Harvey felt an unsettling in his stomach and was about to reach out and read the file when an arm was suddenly slung over his chest. He swiftly turned his head to the side to see if he recognized the person he was sharing a bed with. There was no way he had gotten so drunk the night before that he’d gone with some stranger to Boston without remembering it.

There was a man next to him, huh, well that certainly hadn’t happened in while. Not since law school, before Scottie. His blond hair was sticking out in every direction possible, and he had a little drool in the corner of his mouth.

Harvey started poking him then, not knowing what else to do.

“Just read the file.” The other man grumbled, before opening his eyes slowly and smiling up at Harvey.

“What’s going on?”

“Why do we always have to do this?” He said a little irritated. He yawned before sitting up in bed and grabbing a pair of pajama bottoms from the floor next to the bed and putting them on. “Just read the file, I’ll put on some coffee.”

What Harvey really wanted to was call the police. Or Donna. Or both. But instead he settled for the file, for now. As he picked it up, a recorder device fell out.

On the first page in the file, it simply said: _You should probably play the recording first._

It was Donna’s handwriting. Something familiar felt strangely delightful then. He peeked through the doors of the small kitchen to see the blonde man getting some coffee ready.

He hit play on the recorder and braced himself.

_Hey, Harvey, don’t freak out!_

_You were in an accident a few years back, and your brain took quite the blow. Everything is in your file if you want to catch up on that, but I’ll just give you a recap. So you’re back in Boston, I came with you so you still got me, thankfully. Marcus and I set up this awesome system for you so you’re all set. Oh, I’m marrying your brother by the way, feel free to freak out about that, because you always do._

What the actual hell? There was no way that was happening.

_Oh, and that hunky blonde guy that’s probably snoring next to you is your husband._

_Hi, Harvey!_

That was the voice of the guy in the kitchen. Wait, had Donna just said husband? Was he being punked or something?

_I’m Mike, your husband, feel free to browse through our memory slash photo album when you’re done with your file._

Harvey turned his head to the side again and noticed the photo album the man, Mike, was talking about.

_Anyway, you have all our contact numbers in your phone. Call if you need anything._

Then the recording stopped and Harvey was left staring into space, reaching for the file and reading through it with a panic rising through his body.

“Relax, the last thing you need is a heart attack.” Mike said then, Harvey looked up to see him leaning against the doorframe to the kitchen, two cups of coffees in his hands. “Coffee?”

Harvey nodded, and took the cup from Mike before continuing reading. Mike just sat down on the edge of the bed and watched him in silence. The more he read, the more he started thinking that this happened every single morning.

“You married me?” He asked then, not even knowing where that question came from. He had so many questions, that he was practically shaking.

“Yep.” Mike answered and pointed to the ring on Harvey’s finger. He looked down and couldn’t help but touch it once, before noticing Mike’s identical ring on his own finger. “They used to be my parents, had them re-sized and engraved.”

“Oh.” Was all Harvey was able to say, even though he was suddenly very curious as to what the rings said. “Why?”

“We’re cheesy like that.” Mike replied with a grin and Harvey couldn’t help but smile, but he then shook his head.

“That wasn’t what I meant.” He said “Why did you marry me?”

Mike’s smile never fell from his lips. “Because I love you.”

That seemed a lot simpler than it actually was.

“I can’t remember you.”

“Aren’t you a lucky one?” Mike asked “Who gets to fall in love with me every single day, I’ve been told I’m quite the treat.”

“Really?” Harvey asked teasingly, cocking his head to the side “Says who?”

“You.” Mike said

“Doesn’t sound like me.” Harvey said, and then Mike bit his bottom lip and grinned.

“Maybe you didn’t use those words exactly, but you did have quite the interesting vows at our wedding.” He said “We have the video if you want to watch it.”

“Do I?” Harvey asked “I mean, normally.”

“Some days you do, some days you don’t.” Mike said “Some days you run away and other days you stay with me for the entire day.”

“I thought I was on this strict schedule.” Harvey said and pointed to his file.

Mike shook his head and offered him another comforting smile “Those are just guidelines, you have a life.”

Harvey didn’t answer for a while, he just sat up straight in bed and looked around the apartment. It was nice, big and bright. According to the file the two of them had moved in quite recently. There were pictures everywhere. Of him and Jessica, and him with Marcus and Donna. And of course a lot with him and his husband.

His husband. He was married. To a man he didn’t know.

“So.” Mike said “How are you going to spend this day? Should I give you Donna and Marcus’ address so you won’t go running aimlessly around?”

Harvey took Mike’s hand then and pulled off his wedding ring, then he took his own off. Mike looked upset at this, but his expression changed when he realized that all Harvey was doing was reading the inscription.

_You are found_

“I wanted ‘one ring to rule them all’, but you were always much more romantic than me.”

Harvey laughed and looked up.

“I think I’d like to spend the day with you.”


End file.
